


Coffee For Hirai

by minaricano



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, jihyo is selfless, mina is dense as hell, model!Mina, same goes with momo, sana is problematic, singer!momo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-08 04:33:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 46,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15922949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minaricano/pseuds/minaricano
Summary: Coffee tastes bitter without sugar,That's how Momo feels like without her.





	1. Glad You Are Back

  
“ _Hug me once more, everyday and night._ ” 

 

  
She sang the last line and continued strumming the guitar as she hummed to end the song. With one last strum, she smiled to the crowd and bowed, showing her appreciation. 

 

  
“That’s all, thank you! Have a good day, everyone.” 

 

  
She put her jacket on, then walked over towards a guy in white t-shirt, “Here’s your guitar. Thank you for having me.”

 

  
He smiled, taking his guitar from her grasp. “It’s a pleasure having you to sing a song for us. You have a good voice, been wanting to tell you this, Momo.”

 

  
“Thank you, I’m flattered. I shall take my leave now.” She shook his hand and walked away, after taking a few pictures with those who asked her for some.

 

  
Hirai Momo. Three words to describe her. Multitalented, beautiful and has a good personality. Covers songs from different genres on social media and receives many good responses from the public. Try asking anyone on the street whether they know her, or not. For sure, most of them will say yes.

 

  
Momo made her way to the nearest cafe, which was two lots away from the place she performed earlier. A cozy yet minimal looking cafe, she had been here twice. 

 

  
She queued, two customers before her turn. Momo felt her phone vibrated and took a look at the message received.

 

  
**[11:23 AM] Yoo Jeongyeon** : _where the hell are you??_

**[11:23 AM] Yoo Jeongyeon** : _nayeon and i have been waiting foe you here_

**[11:23 AM] Yoo Jeongyeon** : _for** sorry_

**[11:24 AM] Yoo Jeongyeon** : _the kids are coming around 12-ish. tzu’s class ends around 30 mins_

 

  
Momo bit her lips, _damn I forgot about the lunch thingy_ , she immediately replied to Jeongyeon. 

 

  
**[11:25 AM] Hirai Momo** : _Hey Jeong, dang I totally forgot about it. Am currently queuing for morning coffee_  

**[11:25 AM] Hirai Momo** : _I’ll be there in 20? Gonna leave as soon as I get my drink_

 

  
“Miss?” The girl taking care of the cashier called Momo, gesturing her to walk a step to the front to order her drink. 

 

  
Momo apologised, “Ah, one iced latte, decaf.” She took her card out, “I have no cash on me. I’m sorry, again.”

 

  
The worker smiled, “It’s okay. It’s easier using card than having cash on you. Your name please? Even though I know your name already.” She laughed, holding a marker pen, ready to write Momo’s name.

 

  
“Hirai would do.” Momo chuckled, inserting her pin. 

 

  
“Here’s your receipt. They will call your name later and just collect your drink there,” the girl pointed at the pick-up counter “have a nice day, Miss Hirai!” 

 

  
Momo mouthed a ‘ _thank you_ ’ and waited for her drink. She opened her Instagram and scrolled through her home feed.

 

  
There was a picture that caught her eyes, a picture of someone at an airport with a luggage bag. 

 

  
_Going back to Seoul! Can’t wait to be back to my second home #whathappenswhenyouhavetoomuchwork #ilovemywork #okmaybe_  

 

  
She smiled, Momo decided to read the comments.

 

  
_**aa_skyung** coming back here?! OH GOD IS THIS A SURPRISE_

_**324_love.me.mm** WIG U DID DAT GIRLIEEE_

 

  
_The fans are cute_ , she thought. 

 

  
_**westanapenguin** I LOVE YOU MINA PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF UWU UWU UWU UWU_

 

  
Momo stared at the comment, until a voice calling her name brought her out of her trance.

 

  
“Coffee for Hirai!” A guy barista called her name out, letting her know that her coffee is ready. She went to the counter and took her drink, thanking the barista then walked to the kiosk where the sugar syrup was put at.

 

  
As she was pouring the sugar syrup, she remembered something, immediately putting a smile across her face.

 

  
_Thank god you’re coming back_. 

 

  
*

 

  
“Took you long enough, huh?” Momo sat down as she sipped her latte.

 

  
“I literally just got here and now you’re sulking. You’re such a kid, Nayeon.” Momo spat jokingly, wiggling her eyebrows. Jeongyeon laughed and caressed Nayeon’s head.

 

  
“The kid I love so much, right?” Momo cringed at Jeongyeon’s statement. 

 

  
They were chit-chatting about the vacation trip they usually have whenever the kids get their semester’s break when Momo was hugged from behind.

 

  
“Hello Oldies!” Dahyun excitedly claimed, raising her voice up. Momo frowned to the weight on her shoulder.

 

  
“Please get your hands off me, my backbones might break, Dahyun. Sit down.” 

 

  
Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu sat down, of course after quarrelling who was going to sit next to the Im Nayeon. “Out of everyone, i’m the chosen one.” Tzuyu grumbled. 

 

  
The rest of the girls laughed, and the laughters soon died down when Jeongyeon ‘ _knock knock_ ’-ed the table.

 

  
“Knock! Knock!” _She could just knock the table instead of saying knock knock out loud._

 

  
“Before you start saying anything, Jeong, mind telling me how the hell you passed your damn uni life again.” The kids laughed quietly hearing Momo’s statement. 

 

  
Her statement was ignored, “Okay idiots, I have two announcements. Nay—“

 

  
“Mina is coming back.” Momo announced, the expression on her face couldn’t be examined. “What?”

 

  
“I said, Mina is coming back today. I saw her post on Instagram half an hour ago.” Momo said, emphasising the ‘ _today_ ’ in her sentence.

 

  
All eyes were on Momo. “Who is she coming back with?” Nayeon decided to ask. It had been a long time since they last met Mina, due to their works and studies, also due to Mina’s busyness. Being one of the most famous models is a hard career. 

 

  
Chaeyoung looked up from her phone, “I guess she’s coming back with Jihyo, since she posted a story with Mina in the flight.” They all smiled.

 

  
Nayeon rested her chin on her hand, her eyes went to Jeongyeon as she smiled. Momo cleared her throat.

 

  
“I guess,” Momo looked at every single one of them, “we can go on a trip together? Like a week’s vacation to somewhere?” 

 

  
“And since we’re all complete now. All nine are together here.” Nayeon added. 

 

  
They were all cheering in excitement when Jeongyeon suddenly received a message from Jihyo. 

 

  
**[13:02 PM] Park Jihyo** : _Hey Jeong, mind picking us up @ Gimpo?? Surprise! :p_

**[13:02 PM] Park Jihyo** : _Don’t tell the others yet or else ;)_

 

  
Jeongyeon chuckled, showing the message to the others. 

 

  
“Say okay and ask her when they’re arriving. We’re going to get the ‘welcome back’ sign done.” Nayeon planned, the other girls agreed. 

 

  
“I don’t think I’m joining, I gotta run an errand for my dad.” Momo suddenly said, making the others sigh.

 

  
Dahyun had an eyebrow up, “Are you sure you ain’t joining? I mean, it’s not that I want to stop you or something but it’s been a while since we last gathered.” 

 

  
“Mina and Jihyo are back for good, we can do that later right?” Momo smiled to convince the others before getting up and fixed her shirt, “I guess I’ll go now. See you when I see you.”

 

  
Momo was a few steps away from their table when Nayeon called her.

 

  
“Hirai! 9 sharp at my house tonight, don’t be late.” Nayeon winked. 

 

  
*

 

  
“Out of all the places we have in the house, your favourite will always be the piano.” 

 

  
Momo laughed, turning her head to where the voice came from. She got up and walked to the sofa. 

 

  
“It’s the place that started everything, Dad.” Momo looked around the house.

 

  
“I wish Mum is still here.” Momo mumbled, earning a fatherly smile from her father. He got up from his seat and pulled her to the piano again, gesturing Momo to sit next to him.

 

  
He started playing the keys; creating a soothing and very familiar melody to Momo. She looked at him, only to find him waiting for her to join in as he continued playing. 

 

  
Momo placed her fingers on a chord, slowly pressing it. Mr. Hirai nodded his head, cuing her to start singing.

 

  
“ _Someone just says the words, “that’s it”. I think I’ll agree and give up. If someone comforts me, saying that I’ll do well,_ ” She began singing as she controlled her emotions. Her father looked at her, eyes filled with love and care. A smile was plastered across his face. 

 

  
All Momo felt was homesickness. She missed everyone. The ones who left and even the ones who were still there. 

 

  
“ _But I can’t because I have only one dream, I can’t make everything go back because of how I feel today,_ ” Mr. Hirai continued the lines. 

 

  
It’s her mother’s favourite song. They used to sing this song all the time whenever Momo had her hands on the piano until two years ago, when she passed away with the cause of cancer. 

 

  
“ _Don’t compare me, don’t care about me, who says that’s the right way? There is no right way, the way I chose is my way_.” 

 

  
Her mother was there when she was falling into nothingness, she was always there when Momo reached the highest of her life. Supporting her through thick and thin, she knew all Momo’s secrets. Including Momo’s one sided feelings towards _her._  

 

  
_“I’m sorry my love, I wanted to be the source of your pride,_

_In my exhausted days, I just want some comfort,_

_If you comfort me, saying that you believe me,_

_I think I’ll start to cry,_

_I’m sitting on the edge of this night with a drunken sigh.”_ They ended the song together, at her favourite lines. 

 

  
Momo hugged her father, “She will always be watching us but, don’t chase for your mother anymore. You know she’s not coming back, right?” 

 

  
She nodded. Mr. Hirai made Momo look into his eyes, “Chase for whoever is still here. Who can help you continue your life, with no regrets.”

 

  
Momo smiled, “You heard the news?” 

 

  
They laughed, “That sweetheart is pretty famous, Jihyo told me they were boarding. Told Kyung Soo to get the empty room in your apartment ready.” 

 

  
I love you, Dad. Momo thought in her head, “You’re the best!” 

 

  
They laughed again when he asked Momo to act surprised when she meets Mina later because it was supposed to be a surprise. 

 

  
*

 

  
_“I’ve read this somewhere before, and I would like to share this with my listeners today,_ ” the Deejay cleared her throat before continuing, “ _before I end my session tonight, Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go. This sentence brings so many meanings, and you, yourself, will figure what it means. Last song for this slot, here’s Move Together by James Bay. Have a good night._ ”

 

  
Momo parked her car next to Chaeyoung’s car and asked the guard to bring her up to the 6th floor, since she left her access card at home. 

 

  
Momo was sweating, she was nervous. Tapping her foot lightly on the floor rhythmically, she really wished the elevator to slow down a bit. _Ding!_ The bell brought Momo back to her senses. She smiled, thanking the security guard for helping her. 

 

  
_0601\. 0601. 0601. Okay there it is._ She stood in front of the apartment. Laughters could be heard coming from the unit and she was sure Jihyo’s voice was there. 

 

  
There Momo was again, contemplating whether she should knock, or ring the bell (Both are just the same but guess who was nervous?). Momo slowly brought her fist up to knock the door when Tzuyu and Sana suddenly peeked out the door.

 

  
“The door has no magic word to open itself, you know.” Sana joked before opening the door for Momo, “She’s in the living room with the girls. Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung are cooking with me. Join us after greeting Mina and Jihyo, okay?” 

 

  
Momo nodded, taking off her shoes and placed it next on the shelf properly. She walked past the kitchen, after greeting Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung of course and getting some encouraging words from the chefs wannabe, then entered the living room, immediately having all eyes on her.

 

  
_What did I just sign myself into again_. Momo thought in her head as she tried to keep calm in front of the others. 

 

  
Jihyo and Mina got up when Nayeon shouted “And the last one is here!” 

 

  
The first one to engulf Momo into a hug was Jihyo. As always, it felt so warm and motherlike, despite the fact Jihyo was younger than her. “Welcome back. I can say that the house is going to be five times louder than before starting from today, Ji.” Momo whispered in her ear, making Jihyo smack Momo’s arm. 

 

  
The younger pulled away from the hug and Momo eyes fell on Mina. Damn I miss you. She smiled with her arms opened wide, gesturing Mina to hug her. Mina saw the signal and immediately sneaked her arms around Momo’s waist, head snuggled into Momo’s neck; the older saw the other girls’ reactions. _Shocked. Heartwarming. Soft._  

 

  
“You missed me that much, Myoui?” Momo laughed, caressing Mina’s back slowly and also hoped Mina won’t feel that her heart was beating really fast. Mina looked up, eyes meeting Momo’s, "How can I not miss you?" 

 

  
Momo didn't know what she should say to Mina next. She thanked god when Chaeyoung called her over to help them with the steaks. 

 

  
"How are you feeling?" Jeongyeon opened the topic.

 

  
Momo grinned, one hand stirring the asparagus, "She smells the same." 

 

  
"You were calm and smooth," Sana spoke as she unwrapped the potatoes from the aluminium foil and handed the potatoes to Tzuyu "didn't show your dumb Momo side." 

 

  
"Shut up, Sana. You're dumber than me." Momo snickered.

 

  
"But you guys are just the same." Jeongyeon laughed at Chaeyoung's statement and fist bumped her.

 

  
"Funny how she is the only one who doesn't know about this." Momo chuckled as she put the last portion of asparagus on the last plate. 

 

  
Momo had feelings for Mina since they were all in high school. The first one to know was obviously Nayeon, with the oldest's acknowledge about love based on the korean dramas she watched. The second were Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon. Momo happened to confess about her feelings when they had a 'night talk' during a sleepover at Jeongyeon's since her parents went abroad for an invitation to a new restaurant of a very close friend of her father's. The rest but Mina, got to know about it from Nayeon and Jeongyeon, when Mina and Momo were away for the dance club's annual camp (that was because Nayeon accidentally slipped it out). Until now, Mina had no idea about Momo's feelings towards her, thinking that Momo is like a sister to her.

 

  
"She's that oblivious. And you're kind of good at acting." Jeongyeon poured red wine into the glasses "Chaeyoung, Tzuyu, call the girls for dinner."

 

  
*

 

  
"How was New York?" Nayeon asked the two as she sipped her drink.

 

  
Jihyo frowned, "Roads are really busy, the place is damn cramped, you know?"

 

  
"It was hard to drive there with the traffic and all. Jihyo and I often hang out at the coffee shop down our apartment and order stuffs online." Mina added, earning a nod from Jihyo "But whatever, we're back for good now. The company says so." Jihyo made a thumbs up.

 

  
"Chaeng, I heard you dropped a subject." Jihyo remembered that Jeongyeon once told her about it a few weeks ago. 

 

  
"Trust me, I took art and film then I was asked to take Linguistics? I ain't risking myself so I dropped Linguistics. I didn't lose anything anyway." Chaeyoung complained. 

 

  
Mina's head turned to Tzuyu, "How about you, Tzu?" 

 

  
Tzuyu looked up and smiled, "Biomedical engineering is easy. Mum helps me often."

 

  
Mina nodded in acknowledgment. 

 

  
"Momo and Sana are graduating next year so the only ones left are the kids. Dahyun will be alone in the performing arts classes then." Jeongyeon stated, sticking her tongue out to Dahyun.

 

  
"I hope you'll be alone for the rest of your life, Gollum." Dahyun fired back, putting the knife near her neck and mouthed 'i'll kill you' to Jeongyeon.

 

  
"Who wants to be with her anyway?" Nayeon mocked Jeongyeon.

 

  
The dinner hall was filled with laughters, hitting everyone with memories of the times they had when Mina and Jihyo were in Korea a few years back. With the quarrels of Nayeon and Jeongyeon, teasings from Momo to Sana (and the other way around). 

 

  
_It feels good that everyone is here now._ Momo thought.

 

  
*

 

  
Momo had her sleeves rolled and hair pushed to the back. She rinse the foam off the last plate and placed it at the rack after she dried it. Wiping her sweats off, she turned around, only to find Mina leaning against the wall, looking at her.

 

  
"How long have you been there?" Momo threw the tissue into the trash can and wiped the kitchen counter near Mina.

 

  
"A few minutes ago, for no reason." Mina smiled, coming closer to Momo "How have you been? You've been busy lately."

 

  
"It's just the small test, I had to prepare for the performance." Momo chuckled, "We're acting like we haven't talked to each other since the last time you were in Korea." She stated, pushing Mina's back slowly guiding her to the living room. 

 

  
"I'm staying with you, you know?" Mina asked, looking at Momo from her shoulder. 

 

  
"Dad told me. Oops isn't it supposed to be a surprise?" They laughed.

 

  
They sat down on the couch with the others, joining them in the talk that was going on fire about the old times.

 

  
"Remember when Dahyun ran the wrong way when she played her first baseball game? DAMN IT WAS HILARIOUS AS HELL!" Jeongyeon asked, laughing hysterically making the other girls laugh hard. 

 

  
"THAT WAS A MISTAKE, SHUT UP!" Dahyun shouted, smacking Jeongyeon's leg. 

 

  
The laughters continued until it was late after midnight, telling stories about what happened during the span of time Jihyo and Mina weren't there, funny misunderstandings they had. 

 

  
Momo just got back from the toilet when Mina suddenly whispered in her ear.

 

  
"Can we go back now? I'm sleepy." Momo looked at Mina's face. 

 

  
Yes indeed, Mina looked really tired. Momo nodded and cocked her head to the door's direction, signalling Mina to get up and bid goodbye.

 

  
"We'll be taking our leave first, someone gotta catch up on sleep. Like the person next to Tzuyu." All eyes were now on Jihyo, who slept on Tzuyu's shoulder unconsciously. "No one wants me to send them home?" 

 

  
Sana got up and hugged the other girls, "I'll be going back with Momo then." 

 

  
Nayeon and Jeongyeon ushered the japanese ladies to the door while Tzuyu decided to stay the night there in the guest room of Nayeon and Jeongyeon's place, sharing the room with Jihyo. Dahyun and Chaeyoung planned to stay a little bit longer so they could help the two oldest cleaning the house. 

 

  
Momo walked first, pulling Mina's luggage bag then waited for the elevator to stop at their level, which was three levels away from the 6th floor. Mina and Sana had their arms linked; most likely to support the now drowsy Mina. 

 

  
The elevator doors slid open and Momo let the younger girls walk in first, then pressing the Ground Floor button, having her back against the mirror walls of the elevator. Looking right to her front, she could clearly see Mina's face since the girl was just standing next to her, with Sana holding her.

 

  
Eyes closed and her mouth slightly opened a bit. The expression she had on her face was that kind of expression of hoping she could get an at least 2 minutes nap while standing. Momo gathered all her courage inside of her and held Mina's cold hand. 

 

  
Mina opened her eyes when she felt heat touching her cold hand, she could see Momo looking at her through the mirror and the older smiled as soon as she opened her eyes. 

 

  
"You can get some sleep in the car later." Momo spoke, then turning her head to Sana's direction "Where should I send you to?" 

 

  
Sana thought for a bit, "To the cafe next to my apartment, i feel like having pressed juice suddenly." Momo nodded at Sana's answer.

 

  
Just like a cue, the doors slid open again and the girls went out, straight headed to Momo's Coupe. Mina was about to sit at the back when Sana stopped her, "Let me sit at the back. You don't have to move to front later." Feeling too tired, Mina obeyed and clumsily got into front passenger seat. Sana just chuckled and went to the back of the car.

 

  
Momo was surprised seeing Sana, "What are you doing here?". Sana arched her eyebrows.

 

  
"How was it earlier?" 

 

  
Momo laughed silently, "You really came here just to ask me that?" She asked Sana, who was arranging Mina's luggage properly inside of the trunk of the car.

 

  
Sana looked at her, demanding for an answer.

 

  
"Okay, okay. I really miss her so I couldn't make whatever I was feeling out. For sure, I didn't want to break her hug." Sana smiled hearing the answer and patted Momo's back.

 

  
"Let's get going then?" Sana suggested, Momo nodded and walked over to the driver's seat. 

 

  
Sana noticed that Mina's seat wasn't inclined to the back. Thinking that Mina won't be comfortable sleeping like that, Sana slowly opened Mina's door and ducked her head as she looked at Momo. 

 

  
"Won't you help me with this, idiot?" She lowly whispered to Momo, trying not to be loud.

 

  
Momo held the back of the seat and cued Sana to press the inclining button. Mina stirred a little and turned her head towards Momo, still sleeping. Sana buckled Mina's seatbelt while Momo put the strands of hair away from Mina's face. 

 

  
"Get in. We might arrive late if I don't start driving now." Sana nodded and got into the back seat behind Momo. Getting the full view of Mina, Sana decided to put her hand on Mina's head, caressing and kept her hair out from Mina's face. 

 

  
"No matter how big she gets, I will always look at her as the baby of J-Trinity, you know?" Sana suddenly said, not too loud nor too soft for Momo to hear.

 

  
Hearing that, Momo smiled and looked at the peaceful face of Mina. Pure innocence radiated from the sight. "I realised that as we are both growing up, we sometimes forget that Mina is a year younger than us and will not stay as the 15 year old Mina we used to protect wherever we go back then forever." 

 

  
Sana let a chuckle out, "It's kind of funny that we act like children when we are with the other girls but turn completely into adults when it comes to Mina."

 

  
"She gives us the vibe," Momo paused "how do I put this into words?"

 

  
"The vibes to protect and guide her." Sana mumbled, but it was loud enough for Momo to hear. 

 

  
"We often forget that Jihyo is younger than us too. She acts so much older than us." Sana added, sighing in sadness. 

 

  
"She takes care of us very well. I wonder how she feels about us treating her." Momo said, stopping at the red light.

 

  
The night continued in silence, the smooth sound of the car engine and songs playing on the radio became a harmony. Sana continued playing with Mina's hair, tracing Mina's face features at times; Momo constantly glancing to Mina, feeling soft without fail every time she does so. 

 

  
Momo slowly parked the car in front of the cafe next to Sana's apartment and looked back, "Good night, Sana." 

 

  
Sana smiled, opening the door slowly, "It's one in the morning. Good morning, Mo. Take care." She got out from the car then stood next to Momo's car as she waved goodbye, waiting for Momo to take her leave. She mouthed 'text me when you get home', Momo smiled back and gave her a thumbs up.

 

  
It was already two when Momo reached home. As much as she didn't want to wake Mina up, she had to do so since she had to bring the younger's luggages up. Momo took a deep breath before slowly tapping Mina's shoulder.

 

  
"Mina? We're here." She earned a 'one minute' from the still snoozing in her dreamland girl. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she got out from the car and took the luggages out from the trunk. She softly opened Mina's door and crouched down to wake her up. 

 

  
The second call was firmer and wasn't too soft than the first one, which successfully woke the girl up. Mina hummed questionably. Momo held her hand and helped her to get out from the car, considering she was still sleepy and dizzy. 

 

  
The process of handling Mina while bringing the luggages was hard, she admitted. But she didn't complain, she knew the sleepiness finally caught up with the model. Plus, the time zones are different, that explained why Mina wasn't used to time yet. 

 

  
Momo helped Mina with her things first while the younger went to the bathroom for her night routine and to change her clothes. The black haired girl sprayed a little bit of Mina's perfume on the pillows and comforter then poured the aromatherapy oil into the air diffuser, knowing that Mina will sleep even more comfortably with the scent. She was about to walk back to the bed from switching the light off when Mina came into the view, stepping out from the bathroom while patting her face gently to make the moisturiser absorb into her skin. "You can straight hit the bed now. Did everything for you, kid." 

 

  
Mina smiled lazily, still sleepy, "Thank you, Momo." She walked towards the bed, with Momo's guide so that the girl wouldn't fall (Momo knew she was exaggerating a bit, but who knows?) and laid down on the bed. Momo chuckled as she pulled the comforter over the younger and kissed her forehead.

 

  
"Good night, Mina." Momo whispered before guiding her left hand to switch the lamp off. She was about to get up when Mina's soft hand stopped her.

 

  
Momo looked back, Mina looked just like a child. The light from the lamp made her look even softer than before. 

 

  
"What is it?" Momo asked.

 

  
Mina smiled shyly before continuing, "You look good in Long Bob." 

 

  
The older chuckled, trying to hide her wild feelings inside. 

 

  
"Thank you. Go to sleep, okay?" Earning a nod from Mina, she switched the lamp off and walked out from the room, taking her last peek of the younger before closing the door. 

 

  
Despite the fact it was already two in the morning, the city wasn't asleep yet. Momo watched the still busy road from her room before deciding to call it a night and closed the blinds. 

 

  
Momo sat on her bed, taking her phone that she placed on the nightstand and opened a chat.

 

  
**[02:40 AM] Hirai Momo** : _Hey Sana. Just informing you that we've safely reached home._

**[02:40 AM] Hirai Momo** : _She's asleep now. Don't worry._

 

  
Momo was scrolling through her twitter feed when Sana replied to her messages.

 

  
**[02:45 AM] Minatozaki Sana** : _Hey Mo. Glad to hear that! Sorry, just got out from shower kekeke_

**[02:45 AM] Minatozaki Sana sent a photo!**

 

  
Momo chuckled looking at Sana's goofy selfie. 

 

  
**[02:46 AM] Hirai Momo** : _HAHAHA. Okay then, goodnight!_

 

  
Momo smiled. She set an alarm for her to get up and make breakfast.

 

  
She was about to switch her bedside lamp off when Nayeon messaged her.

 

  
**[02:56 AM] Im Nayeon** : _saw you retweeting a post. breakfast at our usual hangout place at 11 tomorrow! see you :3_

 

  
She chuckled at Nayeon's out of nowhere emoticon.

 

  
_Guess tomorrow's gonna be another tiring but fun day._


	2. Taste The Poison

  
From violet to bright orange, the sky turned into clear blue sky. The wind blew Momo's hair to the back, dry leaves that fell dancing in the sky. 

 

  
Momo sat there, on the stool at her balcony, watching the road getting busy again on a Friday morning. She observed the birds flying in groups. With her legs crossed, she sat up straight and reached for her guitar next to her, started creating a beautiful melody by picking the strings. 

 

  
Things weren't hard at all for Momo. The only thing that was hard for her was keeping her feelings from Mina's knowing. Wasn't it crazy to actually develop feelings for your own friend, whom you treated as your sister at first? She didn't suffer that bad. She searched for updates of the younger all over the social media, taking advantage of the younger's popularity. At least, she didn't feel like she missed the girl too much. 

 

  
Momo didn't remember how she actually fell asleep when she just planned to close her eyes for a while. Slowly opening her eyes, she adjusted herself to light and immediately recognised the silhouette who poked her shoulder.

 

  
Mina had her right hand covering Momo's eyes from the sunlight, after seeing Momo's furrowed eyebrows because it was shining directly towards the latter's face. "Good morning, Momo." Mina smiled, showing her gums. Momo could clearly see Mina's light brown eyes looking into her dark brown ones. Slowly sitting up, Momo fixed her hair that happened to get messy when she turned her head in her sleep. 

 

  
"You're up early." 

 

  
Mina giggled, sitting on the floor and hugged her legs in front of Momo, "Woke up because I think I heard shouts from next door." _Ah, must be the problematic couple again._

 

  
Momo smiled slightly. "You have to get used to that. The guy is really petty. I wonder why his girlfriend is still staying with him." 

 

  
Momo's phone vibrated, diverting their attention to the phone.

 

  
**Minatozaki Sana (1)**

_Here with Nayeon and Jeongyeon. Still at home?_

 

  
Momo opened the message, typing her reply.

 

  
**[10:15 AM] Hirai Momo :** _Why are y'all so early? We just woke up._

 

  
 **[10:16 AM] Minatozaki Sana :** _tf did y'all do? "we"????_

 

  
**[10:16 AM] Hirai Momo :** _K, you're acting like this huh now. See you in an hour._

 

  
Momo groaned, turning her head to Mina who was giggling.

 

  
"Why do you giggle so much now?" Momo asked curiously.

 

  
Mina grinned, "How could Sana think of that?" 

 

  
Momo rolled her eyes. Mina called her.

 

  
"Can I read this?"

 

  
Momo looked at what Mina was pointing at. She hummed in agreement.

 

  
"You In My Heart," Mina read the title, "is this a song?"

 

  
Momo scooted closer to Mina, smiling as she took a look at the paper. "I wrote that, read it." 

 

  
"I can’t sleep tonight, so I’m sitting here,

looking at the twinkling sky, one by one, the stars shine,

and all day, I close my eyes with the wind

 

  
Your loving breath,

your soft voice,

enters my heart and shines on me, this is how I feel,"

 

  
Mina paused before looking at Momo as she had her index finger pointed to a word, "what is this?" 

 

  
Momo looked over, "I want to hold you softly, in my arms." 

 

  
Mina smiled, suddenly holding Momo's hand, "Can you sing some of it?"

 

  
Momo just chuckled and nodded, taking her guitar and positioned it properly on her right lap. 

 

  
Momo started the song with her own personal variation of chords, humming as she does so. She looked at Mina in the eyes and smiled before turning back to the frets. 

 

  
" _I'll only show you everything, the world reflecting in my eyes,_ " Momo started to sing softly, _I really hope you know this is for you,_ she thought, " _So it can be in your pretty heart forever, in the same time,_ " 

 

  
Momo stopped playing the guitar and looked at Mina, then finger picked a melody similar to the chords she played when she started singing, " _just you and me, i'll embrace you._ " 

 

  
*

 

  
Momo turned off the faucet, patted her face with her wet hands and fixed her bangs. She looked into the mirror.

 

  
Momo remembered the time when Mina came out from her room three years ago, it was one in the morning. She wasn't asleep yet, instead she was eating ramen in the living room since she had completed all her assignments.

 

  
She was twenty, Mina was nineteen. With a blue comforter wrapping around her, Mina sat next to her. 

 

  
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" That was what she asked when Mina suddenly hugged her from the side. It was unusual for the younger to sleep late, because she had just graduated from high school (and Mina also wasn't the type who sleeps late and her body automatically feels the rush of fatigue once the clock strikes ten). 

 

  
She remembered the two minutes silence before she heard Mina's sobs, that she heard her bones cracked when she turned her head to the younger.

 

  
"If I leave you here, will you be alright?"

 

  
Momo's heart broke a little when she heard that. _Where is she going? What is this? Is there anything that I don't know?_ Thoughts ran inside of her head and she swore to life that it was deafening. "What?" 

 

  
Out of all questions she had in mind, that was the only word that she managed to let out from her mouth. 

 

  
"I need to leave if I accept the offer." Mina said in between her sobs, refusing to have her head up. Momo didn't want to ask any further, it will leave her uneasy and make Mina even more uncomfortable. 

 

  
She pulled the girl into a hug, caressing the back of her head. Whispering 'shh' and 'it's okay' to make her calm down. Once she was calmed down, Momo cleared her throat.

 

  
"You've always wanted to be a model. Go for it." She encouraged. Mina looked up, "I don't want to leave." 

 

  
Momo's heart softened, "We can still keep in touch. Go live your life to the fullest, don't waste your years because of your own greed." 

 

  
The black haired girl didn't remember how she suddenly got reminded of the memory. She shook her head and went out from the restroom. 

 

  
Momo had her phone in hand, scrolling through twitter when she suddenly stopped in her tracks and read a tweet that seemed weird to her. 

 

  
_**@minatozakisana** _

_What can i even do, when i'm hopelessly in love with you._

 

  
She didn't remember Sana telling her that Sana has someone in her heart, she also didn't notice anything about Sana having feelings for someone. 

 

  
Immediately opening her iMessage, she sent Sana a message regarding the tweet.

 

  
 **[11:34 AM] Hirai Momo :** _Who is this 'you' person you're talking about?_

 

  
**[11:35 AM] Minatozaki Sana :** _Huh?_

 

  
**[11:35 AM] Hirai Momo :** _Your recent tweet, Sana._

 

  
It took a minute for Sana to reply to her message. 

 

  
**[11:35 AM] Minatozaki Sana sent a photo!**

 

  
 **[11:36 AM] Minatozaki Sana :** _This tweet? HAHAHA ITS JUST LYRICS MOMO OH GO D_

 

  
Momo just smiled, shrugging it off and walked to their table.

 

  
* 

 

  
The lob haired girl wandered around the store, looking at the perfume section of the store.

 

  
"Your smell is familiar, Miss." The girl who had been assisting her stated, making her turn around and smiled. 

 

  
"I bought it here, I haven't seen the one I'm wearing on this shelf yet." Momo pointed at the shelf in front of her "It's the Exclusive Honeysuckle one, if I'm not mistaken." 

 

  
"Is it the one in gold?" Momo nodded "The Exclusive Edition perfumes are placed at the other shelf, want me to assist you there?" 

 

  
They walked over to the shelf mentioned by the salesgirl.

 

  
Momo looked at the worker, "Mind helping me choose what suits my friend right there?" She pointed at Mina who was standing at the body lotion section. 

 

  
Was asked specifically for only Jasmine scented gift sets, the salesgirl brought three different sets of it and placed it on the glass table Momo was standing next to. 

 

  
"Which one is the best?"

 

  
The salesgirl chuckled at Momo's statement, "It depends on how your friend would like it. In my opinion, this one might suit her." She pointed at the set that Momo had her eyes on "She looks elegant, I guess a softer fragrance suits her." 

 

  
Momo nodded, cocking her head to the counter playfully. They walked to the counter and Momo paid for the gift set.

 

  
Turning her gaze to Mina, she felt like nothing didn't really changed after years. 

 

  
Mina was still the clingy girl she used to live with a few years ago, but a little bit matured and independent this time. Mina was still the girl who loves Jasmine scented perfumes so much. 

 

  
_I guess things haven't changed at all._

 

  
*

 

  
They ended up having lunch with Nayeon, Jeongyeon and Sana again after bumping into each other at the mall. 

 

  
Momo could see Mina was enjoying her time, she didn't look like anything near to stressed, nor busy because of her work. Turning back her attention to Sana, who purposely waved her hand to catch her best friend's attention back to her, Momo arched an eyebrow. "You killed the mood."

 

  
Sana giggled, "At this point, you will literally make not just her, but everyone in this cafe to know that you like her."

 

  
"Like or Love?" Momo crossed her arms.

 

  
"Urgh, you know the answer yourself." Rolling her eyes, Sana looked back at the menu displayed at the boards. 

 

  
*

 

  
Sana had always been there for Mina and Momo, ever since the first day they met. She used to be housemates with Jihyo back then when they were in high school, living a few units away from Momo and Mina's. 

 

  
Jihyo, being the head of student council, often spent her time with Nayeon and Jeongyeon as they were the members of the student councils too. Sana had no other options but to hang out with the other Japanese girls to kill her time. 

 

  
It shocked her when she got to know that Momo had feelings for Mina when they went to a camp, leaving the other girls behind. 

 

  
She remembered the time when she blasted her bluetooth speaker off with songs so that she could clear her mind, thinking of the feelings between the two of them. Whether it's mutual or not, whether it's a good thing, or not. 

 

  
Sana wasn't someone who tweets things about her feelings, she's used to keeping her feelings to herself. The only person who will actually take the initiative to force her to spill things out was Jihyo. Since they were housemates, since they were close. Jihyo knows what to do and what she shouldn't do. The younger knows that she can't cross the line and invade Sana's personal bubbles.

 

  
*

 

  
Jihyo walked back into the cafe, after handing some cash to the taxi driver as she had to ask Nayeon for some bills since she was short on it. Glancing at Sana, Jihyo hugged her from the side and smiled.

 

  
"You look like you're so into her." Momo exclaimed, hissing in jealousy. 

 

  
Jihyo smiled even wider, turning her gaze back to Sana who had her arms crossed as she frowned, "You're not the only one who can fall in love, you know."

 

  
"I was just joking."

 

  
"She's covering up." Sticking her tongue out, Sana then kissed Jihyo's cheek, making the younger jumped in shock.

 

  
Momo waved her hand in between the younger ones, acting out as if she was chopping something in the air. "Won't be surprised if you both get together in the future."

 

  
Sana threw her left arm around Jihyo's shoulder. Without the younger realising, a smile appeared on her face for a second before she wiped it off.

 

  
*

 

  
"You look gloomy."

 

  
Jihyo had her chin rested on her palm, supporting her head as she looked at Sana. The butterscotch haired woman had her gaze outside of the cafe, watching the leaves dancing as they followed where the wind blew to. 

 

  
"Aren't you going to answer me, Sana?" Jihyo tapped her fingers on the table, staying calm while thinking of ways on how she should get Sana to let whatever that was bothering her out.  

 

  
Sana decided to open up, still looking out. She went into how she was hopelessly in love with someone that she shouldn't have feelings for, and no matter how hard she tries to stop the feelings, it won't work. Jihyo's heart softened at the sight and words of the older. 

 

  
Not receiving any response from Jihyo, Sana continued. "I just need someone to understand me, that's all. Just listen to me and take me seriously." She paused before looking back to Jihyo, who had her eyes on her as if she was the most fragile human ever on earth, "I may look bubbly and flirty, but why can't people remember that I have feelings and I'm living the exact same way as others? My feelings aren't meant to be played, Jihyo." 

 

  
The latter took offence to that—she had always been there for Sana, after all. Realising that she just bursted out to Jihyo, Sana gently took the younger's right hand and held it tightly. "I'm sorry for venting out like this."

 

  
Jihyo gave her a motherly smile.

 

  
Seeing her smile, Sana realised that no matter how harsh she goes on her, no matter whatever words she says to her, no matter how pathetic she acts in front of Jihyo, the latter doesn't seem to judge, nor even to scold her for it. She smiles, and just smiles. Her answer to everything had always been a smile, the smile that makes you feel like you're home, that makes you feel you're accepted and not talking rubbish.

 

  
They ended up sipping their drinks silently, the music engulfed the silence around them. 

 

  
"Sana?" Hearing her name getting called, Sana looked up, eyes meeting Jihyo's brown orbs. 

 

  
"When you feel like letting go, hold tight." She continued, encouraging Sana to have her chin up instead of plastering the frown on her face. "You know that whatever happens, I'm always here for you." 

 

  
*

 

  
Mina's eyes fluttered open; stretching her arms and limbs as she sat up on her bed. She swore to herself that she heard cracks from her now loosened tensions in her body that made her let out a few groans of relief. Closing her eyes again, Mina tried recalling what happened the night before when she heard the door of the room she's sleeping in Momo's house knocked.

 

  
"Mina? Are you awake?" Momo's soft voice came from outside of the room. 

 

  
With her hoarse from sleep voice, Mina said yes and walked over to the door. 

 

  
"Good Morning, wanna go out for breakfast?" Momo asked, looking fresh in her fitted 'Guess' t-shirt and washed skinny jeans "You're really a mess now." She chuckled.

 

  
Mina nodded and gave Momo a thumbs up. Informing her that she'll be ready in 30 as she wanted to take a shower first, she closed the door and sat on the bed, checking her phone for new notifications she had missed. 

 

  
"It's already my third day here." She mumbled to herself after reading and replying to her e-mails and messages received from the night before. 

 

  
Momo on the other hand, stood in front of the counter as she waited for her tea to brew, dipping the teabag in and out from the mug that contained lukewarm water, just to make it ready quickly. 

 

  
"I have something on later at night, you know. I have no idea if she's assigned to any schedule tomorrow." Momo had her phone in between her shoulder and her strained neck, keeping it in place so she could multitask while talking to Jeongyeon. 

 

  
" _We can just pick her up tomorrow, or you can send her here._ " Jeongyeon said from the other line. Momo could hear Nayeon's babbling about why the water wasn't boiling, only to receive a deafening shout from Jeongyeon saying that the gas wasn't even on yet. Momo laughed silently. 

 

  
Momo was grateful to have her friends with her, always there for her, whenever she's falling into the pit of nothingness and even when she's flying up freely in the sky. Nayeon and Jeongyeon, being the two oldest and most responsible ones, checks on her even when she had her slightest frown on her face. Sana forces her to spill her feelings to her, because she always know when Momo keeps something inside. The three youngest in the group, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu will always make her laugh, and go to her when they sense something's wrong, scratch that, even when everything's alright, just so Momo will feel comfortable all the time, with their young antics. 

 

  
Jihyo and Mina contacted her frequently even though they were miles away. Sending her pictures and videos of them to keep her updated (Jihyo most of the time fed Momo with 24/7 update of Mina, whenever she's sleeping, she's eating and the list goes on). 

 

  
" _Hey, won't you go and spend your time with her alone? Without all of us. Bring her with you later_." Momo groaned at the suggestion. 

 

  
"I'm afraid I'll take a long time, Jeong." 

 

  
She heard Jeongyeon clicked her tongue, " _You crackhead, listen to me. Until she dies, no one but you will be the one who understands the most, who knows her best, and will always be the important one before everyone else besides her family maybe. Not even her husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend or whatever else is there. So take this opportunity, fucker._ " 

 

  
Momo heard Nayeon's shout that was meant for Jeongyeon because she called her 'fucker', not that Momo actually minded about it, she called the blonde one with nicknames too. 

 

  
"Let's see then. Love you guys." Momo hung up the phone when she heard the sound of the door opening, and closed after a few seconds. She looked back over her shoulder, only to be greeted with Mina in her one piece Saint Laurent dress in soft baby blue as the younger dabbed her wrists together. 

 

  
Momo was red; Mina was blue. Mina could be the wind that blows, Momo could be the waves of the sea. They weren't the same at all. 

 

  
"Done?" Momo asked, earning a hum of agreement from the younger. 

 

  
*

 

  
Momo drove through the highway, sipping her hot caramel macchiato as she did so. She looked over to Mina, she had her arms crossed and eyes closed before having her eyes back on the road.

 

  
"I love the scent on you." Mina broke the silence, saying it softly but loud enough for Momo to hear. 

 

  
She chuckled, "Really?" 

 

  
"It suits you, brought out your character very well." 

 

  
Momo nodded, "I've been collecting perfumes lately." 

 

  
Mina again thanked Momo for the perfume gift set she bought for her. 

 

  
"Wear this often, Momo. It's my favourite scent of you."

 

  
Only god knew what Momo felt inside.

 

  
*

 

  
A groan echoed across the room, making Sana and Jihyo turned their heads to where the sound came from.

 

  
"I need to be at the Tressor Building tomorrow!" Mina let out her frustration. She stomped her way next to Sana and laid her head on Sana's lap.

 

  
Jihyo supported her head using her arm as she laid on her side, facing the japanese women who were sitting on the long couch in Sana's bedroom.

 

  
"A photoshoot for?" 

 

  
Mina pouted after answering Jihyo's question, "Shooting for the korean skincare brand, Tressor. The advertisement deal."

 

  
The oldest of the three caressed the youngest's head, playing with her dark locks. Sana liked the fact that Mina look elegant and matured and was completely the opposite when she's close and comfortable with someone. "Who's going with you tomorrow then?" Sana asked.

 

  
Mina looked at Sana's eyes, "Are you free tomorrow?" Sana could see a hint of 'please-come-with-me' in her eyes, making her smile immediately as she witnessed the puppy eyes of the youngest. 

 

  
She nodded, understanding the situation as she knew Jihyo needed to follow Nayeon and Jeongyeon for the preparation for their vacation to Australia that they had planned together the day before when they all had breakfast at the cafe. 

 

  
The room was silent again, they continued watching the drama they were watching. 

 

  
“ _I realised something I didn’t know before: that I’m always thinking about you. Whenever I’m walking by myself or driving, whether it’s snowing like crazy or the sun is shining, I think of you_."

 

  
The second lead of the drama's confession to the heroine got Sana thinking about her feelings back. She looked over to Jihyo, finding out the other one was already looking at her. Sounds like what you said days ago to me, Jihyo mouthed, keeping quiet so they won't wake Mina, who somehow managed to drift herself away further into her dreamland throughout the episode. 

 

  
There were more questions than answers to Sana's feelings. Jihyo had no idea who was this person that Sana have feelings for. The older didn't give her any clues, nor described how he or she was like. 

 

  
Sana always have her smile on her face, even during her dark days. She wanted to be the best among all, she hated being weak, thinking that she will burden others.

 

  
Jihyo understood her well, even tried to get the fact that it doesn't work that way into Sana's head. Unfortunately, the japanese seemed like she still wanted to go on that path, the only thing Jihyo could do now was to always be there for Sana. 

 

  
Flashback to one of the outings where Sana and Jihyo went out together before Mina and her flew to New York—Jihyo remembered the first time Sana cried in front of her, showing Jihyo her fragile side. The older admitted that she missed her family, but being the only child in her family, she wanted to make her family proud of her, being the reason why she decided to pursue her dream and work hard for her family. Accounting and Finance wasn't easy, but it's one of the courses that you could literally do anything. 

 

  
Jihyo scanned Sana's face. Her eyes that carry the galaxy, pointed nose and down to her pouty, rosy lips. Sana seemed to be focusing on the drama, not aware to her surroundings.

 

  
It was just a daydream of Jihyo's, to be someone really important to Sana. She tried, yet she still couldn't make a conclusion out of it. What was she to her? Who was she to Sana? Jihyo felt relieved to know that she was Sana's human diary, she was grateful that at least, at least, Sana acknowledged her. 

 

  
"Mina looks innocent from up here." Sana stated, pulling Jihyo out from her thoughts.

 

  
When the subject of Mina was brought up, Jihyo instantly remembered that Sana really took care of Mina tenderly, so softly like Mina's just a very fragile one. She nodded, plastering her motherly smile to show Sana that she acknowledged that. 

 

  
She knew the feelings will fade someday, she needed to wait. For now, she's just going to stay like this, staying close to her. 

 

  
*

 

  
Momo jogged along the pathway of the Hangang bridge, cars moving past her to the opposite side of the way she was walking. The sound of car engines and the waves of the lake turned into a harmony, soothingly comforting her messed up thoughts in her head. The cool breeze hit her face as she jogged. 

 

  
She wondered if she was overreacting—was she? Mina was back, she really was. Momo wasn't in her fantasy anymore, to actually get back to her routine she had loved the most, to  spend her days with Mina well. 

 

  
Momo wasn't desperate. She just wanted to do one thing. She wanted to see Mina grow up in front of her own eyes. She didn't even want to be with her, well maybe she wanted to, but she knew it wasn't a good thing to do. 

 

  
Mina really depended on her as a sister, as her guardian angel. She wouldn't want to change that. She felt somehow comfortable like this. She just wanted to walk with Mina, in her every step. She was sure of that and she will always have that in mind. 

 

  
Her mind drifted to Jeongyeon's words of fire, that hit her right in the feels. 

 

  
" _Until she dies, no one but you will be the one who understands the most, who knows her best, and will always be the important one before everyone else besides her family maybe. Not even her husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend or whatever else is there_."

 

  
Momo stopped jogging, leaning herself against the rail. Wiping her sweats away, she took her phone out. Messages from Jihyo, Jeongyeon and a few others was seen as she scrolled down the notification bar on her lock screen.

 

  
Her thumb pressed a series of numbers, and pressed the green call button; placing her phone to her right ear. 

 

  
" _Momo?"_ The voice from the other line sounded sleepy.

 

  
"Are you guys asleep already?" 

 

  
The person on the other line hummed, " _Sana and I fell asleep while watching the drama. Mina slept an hour before us._ "

 

  
Momo chuckled. Jihyo was cute, she really forgot that Jihyo was younger than her. "I'll head to Sana's in 15. I guess Mina and I are going to stay the night."

 

  
She told Jihyo to continue sleeping, not wanting to disturb the younger anymore. 

 

  
*

 

  
She drove slowly, enjoying the view of the still busy city although it was already 15 minutes to one in the morning. The stalls at the side of the road, the people who were still awake as they chatted while drinking in front of the convenience store. All of it reminded her of the past. She remembered the times when she had to drag Nayeon and Jeongyeon's asses back to their house, since they loved drinking way past their limit, even when they knew that they're lightweights. 

 

  
Still incredulous to the fact that she couldn't make herself believe that everything was fine, she sipped her isotonic drink. Who drinks water anyway? There was something that she felt in herself, she, herself, wasn't sure what she wanted. 

 

  
Despite whatever she was thinking, Momo smiled fondly as she was remembering memories from the past.

 

  
Her feelings were unavoidable, she loved it nonetheless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god i'm still clueless on how to use this properly hElp


	3. It Was What She Wanted To Be

"Hands on your waist, Mina!" 

 

  
Shutter clicks sound filled the studio, eyes were set on the woman posing on the one seater chair. 

 

  
"Raise your chin up a little!"

 

  
Mina groaned as soon as her back hit the sofa while taking her heels off lazily. Two makeup artists wiped her makeup off and began putting on a light one, fitting into the concept she had to do in an hour after the next set was settled. 

 

  
She was about to succumb herself into a short nap when she felt the seat next to her sank in, making her shot her eyes open.

 

  
Sana froze, looking at Mina who supposedly should be sleeping, "Uh—did I wake you up?" Her question earned a chuckle. Mina shook her head and rested on Sana's left shoulder. 

 

  
"Was just thinking about Momo." 

 

  
The older hummed questionably, "What about her?"

 

  
Mina laughed softly and told Sana that she missed her, nothing much to worry about. 

 

  
Sana caressed Mina's hand, "Let's eat with her later, when you're done."

 

  
*

 

  
Momo reached for her iPhone and put it in the silver dock, the speakers blasted off at full volume of the song she played on the Spotify app. 

 

  
Mina was out for a photoshoot in Gangnam, not really far from the apartment they were currently living at but not too close either. She turned her head to the left, looking at the clock that's hanging on the wall. _6:30 PM_ , the clock showed.

 

  
She looked out the sliding door, the sky started to turn into shades of orange and purple, not the sky blue that she saw when she peeked out a little while ago. Momo felt the device she wore on her left wrist vibrated. She glanced at the 42mm display screened watch.

 

  
_**Minatozaki Sana** _

_This thing ends in an hour or two, gonna inform u later. Dinner at Chili's tonight, it's on me._

 

  
A smile plastered on Momo's face, she was relieved. The girls were out since morning so they would probably feel really worn out after a day out in the city or how Momo could actually describe it—a day at the building of pure hell. 

 

  
She sat down on the black leather swivel chair and waited for her MacBook to finish importing the pictures from her camera. Momo was scrolling through her albums when she saw the notification of a message on her watch. 

 

  
**_Im Nayeon_ **

_Can you like rent a caravan or smtg for us in Aus_

 

  
_**Im Nayeon** _

_Theres a beach house in Beddara Island, we booked it for the 4th till the 6th day there._

 

  
_**Im Nayeon** _

_Hotel rooms are settled fOr the first three days. 4 rooms. YOU ARE SHARING IY WITH MIIIINAAOOO_

 

  
_**Im Nayeon** _

_Heyyo owow_

 

  
Momo's forehead creased reading the messages, well here goes another one. She thought.

 

  
*

 

  
She entered the Chinese restaurant and escorted by one of the usherettes to the table under Sana's name, revealing Sana and Mina behind the beige coloured curtains. 

 

  
"Took you long enough, Mo." The butterscotch haired woman greeted as she sipped her tea. Momo hummed, taking off her white long coat she put on to cover herself from the cold of the night. Averting her gaze to the youngest among them, only Mina's head crown could be seen from where Momo stood at since model was slurping the noodles. 

 

  
Momo started the conversation by asking how the photoshoot was, after noticing Mina looked extra tired. Sana complained about almost every damn thing that happened during the shoot, from how they didn't give the youngest a longer break to the quality of the lunch and hi-tea served during the breaks. 

 

  
"And guess who sprained her ankle?"

 

  
The oldest of the three shot a glare to Mina that made her move her eyes away from looking into Momo's. Witnessing her discomfort, she softened her gaze. 

 

  
"Did you treat it?" Momo softly asked, taking her last bite of her prawn dumpling before she sipped her iced coke. 

 

  
Sana rested her chin on her palm, "She didn't. She said it's alright, which I know it's not true." 

 

  
Mina sighed, "It will eventually get better, I just need some rest." 

 

  
Sana paid for the dinner and they headed out of the restaurant. 

 

  
"You two can go home first, I have something to do." Sana was about to make her way to her car when Momo stopped her. "What kind of something?" 

 

  
It was supposed to be a normal question without any intentions to Sana, but Sana was sure she was overly sensitive to take it as a threat.

 

  
She put a smile on her face and turned to look at Momo, "To Eunha's, she asked me to come and get my copy of the presentation slides."

 

  
 _I hope that works._  

 

  
"Can we talk? Just for a few minutes." Momo asked before turning to Mina "You can wait in the car, Mina." The oldest among the three handed the car keys to Mina.

 

  
It's an understatement to say that Sana was a little nervous.

 

  
*

 

  
Momo rummaged through the khaki coloured ceramic cabinet with her head tilted slightly to the side to grip her phone in between her shoulder and ear. 

 

  
" _If I were you, I would not prefer to use a heating pad._ "

 

  
"Then what?" She asked as she got a hold of the first aid kid box and went through it's contents.

 

  
There was a moment of silence before a hum was heard from the other line, " _An ice pack would do. Since the ankle is swollen. You should've done this before she went for a shower earlier._ "

 

  
"So what?" 

 

  
" _God Damn It, Mo_ ," Jihyo grunted over the call, " _you could be unnecessarily dumb sometimes. Just do it._ " 

 

  
Momo apologised, reaching for the ice pack and filled it with way more than enough ice needed for Mina's leg. Jihyo reminded Momo to give the injured woman some painkillers if it starts to hurt so bad—scratch that, Jihyo asked Momo to force Mina to have some painkillers whether she likes it or not. Knowing that Mina could be stubborn when it comes to things like this, Momo agreed to whatever Jihyo was saying before ending the call.

 

  
Mina was brought back to reality when Momo nudged her shoulder softly. She smiled, ignoring the throbbing pain in her head and her ankle as she acted as if everything was fine. "You don't have to worry too much, you know. I'm good."

 

  
The older kneeled on one knee and placed Mina's ankle slowly on her other leg that she used to support herself, looking into Mina's eyes, "Let's see then." Without any warnings given, Momo gently put the ice pack on the swollen part, which could clearly be seen as it had already gotten bigger than what she saw in the car earlier.

 

  
She winced and wriggled her leg out from Momo's grip then looked back to Momo who had her 'told-you' expression plastered across her face.

 

  
"You don't have to worry too much, i'm good." Momo mimicked Mina's tone and way of talking. Grabbing her leg back and put it back to where she placed it before, she warned Mina to not pull her leg back again. "Try enduring it a little bit, won't you?"

 

  
The older alternately used the left and right side of the ice pack so it won't feel too cold when it's pressed on the swollen part of Mina's ankle and immediately put her warm palm over it whenever she groaned throughout the trying-to-shrink-the-bump process.

 

  
Looking up, Momo could see a thin layer of sweat that formed on Mina's forehead and the latter's cheeks appeared to be reddish. Silently hoping that Mina wasn't sick, she wiped the sweat away using the back of her hand and decided to feel the temperature of the younger's using her palm. 

 

  
Shit. Guess the luck wasn't on her side since the model's temperature was hot (she also wanted to admit the fact that she looked hot too but she pushed it aside). 

 

  
"And now you're sick too." Momo mumbled, but it was loud enough for Mina to hear it. She muttered a 'sorry' when Momo walked to the kitchen to get something. 

 

  
Momo slowly whispered Mina's name to call her out, not wanting to abruptly shake her awake. The first thing Mina saw as soon as her sight went clear was the box that Momo was holding. "Can you," Momo nervously paused before continuing, "I might sound dumb but, can you walk?" 

 

  
Mina nodded.

 

  
She stood up and took her first step, and immediately felt a rush of pain in her head. Mina felt an arm around her waist, drawing her closer to Momo's side. "I guess you can't walk. Come here." 

 

  
Momo crutched down, signalling Mina to get on her back, which Mina obediently did. She walked to her own room and put Mina down gently on her king sized bed. 

 

  
She saw Mina was about to ask her something. Knowing what Mina was about to ask, she replied without even waiting for Mina to voice her questions out.

 

  
"You're sleeping with me so it's easier for me to look after you. Now, lay down." 

 

  
Sitting down at the space next to Mina, she fiddled with the packaging of the Koolfever and finally, after a minute, successfully managed to tear the plastic and stick it on Mina's forehead. "Don't even ask me why I have this thing when I know it's for children."

 

  
Mina giggled softly at her statement, pulling the covers over her body until it covered her chin. 

 

  
Momo's heart softened at the sight before remembering Jihyo's request to give Mina some painkillers. 

 

  
"Uh," she stuttered and cleared her throat, "You need to take some pills." 

 

  
She swore to herself to not give into Mina's childish whines, even after witnessing her acts for the nth time because the younger tend to act like a child whenever she's sick. 

 

  
"You should take two of this." Momo held the pill in front of Mina's mouth, "Please." Said Momo sternly as she saw Mina pressed her lips together tightly.

 

  
"Can't I just take half of it?" The younger pouted. Realising that the pout won't work on Momo, she gave up and opened her mouth.

 

  
Momo smiled, "It's 500mg per pill. You should take two because you're not a child anymore, Myoui.". Momo gently put the pills inside of Mina's mouth and handed her the mineral water bottle. 

 

  
She moved to lay down next to Mina, getting under the covers as the younger turned around to face her. 

 

  
"How's life without me?" Mina suddenly asked, grinning. 

 

  
Momo was taken aback, shocked that Mina suddenly asked her that, "Kind of different without you. No one was there to finish the ketchup I bought from the supermarket."

 

  
Mina rolled her eyes, "You're lying."

 

  
"I'm not." Momo giggled, "It usually takes us three weeks to finish one bottle of Heinz. But without you, I took half a year." 

 

  
Mina smiled, holding Momo's hand under the covers. "You're cold." 

 

  
Momo's heart felt like bursting, she didn't mind it anyway. She liked it. "Want me to tell you the truth?" 

 

  
Mina nodded. 

 

  
"I missed you like crazy." 

 

  
They laughed. Mina started telling Momo stories about the places she wanted to bring Momo in LA and Cali, since she was sure Momo loved places like that. She went from how good the pancakes were at this small cafe owned by a woman in her sixties that she went often for breakfast to how packed and hard it was to go out at the foreign place. 

 

  
*

 

  
Jihyo keyed in the pin to Sana's apartment and was greeted by a dimly lit living room. Sighing, she took her shoes off and stepped into the house after placing her sneakers next to Sana's black ones. 

 

  
"Oh god what the hell in god's name happened here?" She muttered lowly as she flashed her flashlight from her phone to find the light switch. She literally left the house for a few hours and went to her mother's house, only to be greeted with this. Once the lights were switched on, the sight of Sana dozing off on the sofa broke her heart. The cans of beer scattered on the table and floor—or five cans to be exact that she saw didn't help either.

 

  
Seeing the woman in that state, Jihyo dropped her things and ran to Sana quickly, checking whether the older was alright, or not. 

 

  
Feeling someone's arms wrapped around her and the warmth radiated that made her body less cold, Sana looked at Jihyo with half-lidded opened pair of eyes and smiled weakly. 

 

  
"Jihyo-ah." She slurred, her head found it's place at Jihyo's crook of neck "Guess w-what?" 

 

  
The said woman just hummed as she caressed Sana's head, hoping the action would soothe the older's headache a little bit. Instead of getting whatever the hell the drunk one was trying to tell her, she received a short giggle and heard sobs coming from the person she was hugging.

 

  
As soon as Sana sobbed, it was like every senses in her body perked up and gave an immediate respond to the other one. "H-hey, what happened?" She stuttered, shocked. _Way to go, Jihyo. Keep calm, won't you?_

 

  
As if it's a reflex, Jihyo pulled Sana to lay down on the sofa, so that the japanese could lay her head on her lap. From her view, she could make it out that Sana had been crying for hours since her eyes were swollen and nose was beat red. She cursed to herself silently for not realising it. 

 

  
Sana didn't care the fact Jihyo was younger than her, she just wanted to let everything out. Turning her body so that she could face Jihyo, Sana snuggled her head against Jihyo's abdomen, wetting the younger's t-shirt with her tears. The headache didn't help her at all, but Jihyo's soothing and calming caresses eased it a bit. 

 

  
"She confessed." 

 

  
Jihyo asked herself. _Who the hell confessed? When did this person confess?_ She didn't say anything, waiting for Sana to continue her story. 

 

  
Sana choked on her tears, "I didn't know what should I do. I just, I was just," she continued crying, unable to get words out "I felt like everything is falling apart." 

 

  
The older started mumbling incoherently. Jihyo couldn't do anything except repeating I love you's and it's alright's. She wanted to cry seeing Sana in this state, yet Jihyo knew she should stay strong and comfort Sana at all costs. 

 

  
"I wanted to tell her. But then I realised that not everything revolves," Sana decided to look at Jihyo "around me, right?" 

 

  
Jihyo's heart hurt so much witnessing this side of Sana's. She hugged Sana's head, hushing her to not say anything anymore and sang a lullaby as she played with Sana's brown locks. Fifteen minutes of silence, Jihyo could finally hear Sana's constant calm breathing that contrasted with the unbearable silence Jihyo had before. Looking down to the one laying on her lap, Jihyo let her tears that she had been holding back out, confident that Sana won't catch her crying since the older was already asleep. 

 

  
It was already two in the morning when Jihyo suddenly jolted awake due to the feeling of something moving on her. She gained her senses and looked down. Sana was still sleeping, safe and sound. 

 

  
Slowly, she lifted Sana's head and adjusted Sana to sleep on the sofa comfortably since she wasn't strong enough to carry the older back to her room. Reaching for the pink blanket Sana had folded on the other couch, she tucked Sana in and placed a pillow in her arms, making the sleeping one snuggled her face into the soft sofa pillow. 

 

  
Jihyo started cleaning the apartment up, picking up the scattered cans and wiped the dust off the shelves. It didn't take long and she wasn't feeling sleepy, so she decided to make a cup of Milo for herself. 

 

  
She had her body against the kitchen's counter, waiting for the water to boil. Her gaze drifted back to Sana. 

 

  
What did she do to deserve this? Jihyo wasn't sure if she was talking about herself or Sana. Half of her felt like she was being a fool and it's only a one sided love, she believed nothing will happen. Another half of her felt like she was okay this way, to stay with Sana, being there whenever Sana needed someone. Not her, but someone. 

 

  
Jihyo knew she didn't own the rules of the game. The only thing she could do is to play, and to win. She had always kept the mindset of not giving up on something until she gets it. 

 

  
What happened? What was happening? Jihyo wasn't sure herself, again. She had always been the so called human diary of the group, yet she could never solve this problem of hers. Jihyo reached for her phone in her pocket and called Nayeon's number, knowing that the two oldest won't sleep until four. 

 

  
" _I was waiting for you to call me back, Jihyo._ " Nayeon said from the other line " _How are you feeling?_ " 

 

  
Jihyo chuckled, "Are you asking about how I'm feeling? Or Sana?" 

 

  
She could hear Jeongyeon calling her dumb before her shrieks of getting hit by Nayeon for using calling people names. 

 

  
" _You of course. How was it?_ " 

 

  
"Good. She fell asleep." Jihyo wanted to tell Nayeon that Sana had been crying, but she decided to not do that since Nayeon had no idea about the real story.

 

  
" _Jihyo,_ " Nayeon softly called her out " _I know what happened. I just have no idea about the real story here, which I know you do._ " 

 

  
She let out a 'what' to Nayeon and she swore she could hear Nayeon's deep sigh, "H-how do you? Like how?"

 

  
It was Jeongyeon who answered her question, " _Sana called us, she didn't message us at all. She somehow slipped that out. That's why we asked you to go to her house as soon as you picked the call up._ " She could hear Jeongyeon's calm tone, but she wasn't that oblivious to not know that the two of them were worried as hell regarding the whole situation. 

 

  
Jihyo just hummed. 

 

  
" _Listen here, Jihyo._ " Jeongyeon started, " _I know that you really love helping others when they fall. I know that you're like a net that catches everyone._ " 

 

  
Jihyo knew that something was coming and she could feel her tears brimming in her eyes, "And what about it?" 

 

  
Jeongyeon sighed, " _You still don't get it._ " 

 

  
"Just say it, Jeong." 

 

  
What Jeongyeon said after really shocked Jihyo.

 

  
" _You have everyone's back, but you think no one has your back. When it's your time to fall, I'm afraid you'll think you'll fall into your own spiral nasty death since you have nothing to support you. I suggest you to change that dream of yours._ " 

 

  
Jihyo felt streaks of tears streamed down her face as she weeped.

 

  
" _Believe me, we're all here for you. Don't keep your feelings to yourself. Tell us about it, at least. We may can't find you the way out from this but for sure, we could lessen the weight that you've been carrying on your shoulders. You always forget to put yourself first before others_." 

 

  
She could hear sobs from the other side, she was sure it was Nayeon's since who else could it be? 

 

  
"I love you guys." She managed to choke the words out from her mouth. 

 

  
Jeongyeon lowly chuckled, " _We love you too. Go to sleep now, okay?_ " 

 

  
*

 

  
"What do you think will happen to them?" Nayeon broke the silence between her and Jeongyeon, legs crossed on the sofa while she supported her head using her arm that was rested on the armrest. 

 

  
The blonde kept quiet, didn't say anything and seemed like she was lost in her own thoughts. Nayeon gently put her hand on the younger's, Jeongyeon was brought back from her own world. "What did you say earlier?" 

 

  
Nayeon repeated her question but this time, she hesitated a little bit since the topic involved their best friends. 

 

  
"Ah," Jeongyeon acknowledged as she thought about it for a bit, "I'm not sure. There's a lot of things to be processed in my head now." 

 

  
Nayeon moved closer to the younger and rested her head on her shoulder, eyes glued to the smart TV. Feeling the weight on her shoulder, Jeongyeon looked to her side and scanned Nayeon's facial expression.

 

  
She didn't show anything. It was blank, Jeongyeon couldn't make it out. 

 

  
"What do you think about this?" 

 

  
Nayeon sighed hearing that, "I don't know. I just want to cry now." 

 

  
Jeongyeon smiled, pulling Nayeon closer as she patted her head.

 

  
"Let's hope for the best." She mumbled against Nayeon's lavender scented hair before continuing, "You should appreciate this moment though, since you don't get to experience this often." 

 

  
Nayeon giggled, "I really should. Your hugs are the best."

 

  
*

 

  
Momo didn't do anything else other than watching over Mina, whose temperature seemed like it's not going down anytime soon. 

 

  
 **[06:58 AM] Park Jihyo :** _How is she now? Still high?_

 

  
She smiled. Jihyo checked up on Mina for the fourth time through the night.

 

  
 **[06:59 AM] Hirai Momo :** _Still high, I guess. It's still 39 deg._

 

  
 **[06:59 AM] Hirai Momo :** _You've been awake the whole night, is there anything that's bothering you?_

 

  
She heard a groan coming from Mina. Looking to the side, Mina was shifting as she mumbled in her sleep. Momo put her phone down and slowly laid on her side, facing her. She patted Mina's shoulder until she got back to sleep.

 

  
Momo bundled Mina up and left the room, heading to the kitchen to cook something that may help the latter's temperature. Just when she was about to chop the green onions, the bell of the house rang.

 

  
"It's literally seven. Who the he—" She stopped when she saw Jihyo in the monitor, standing in front of the door as she waved to the camera. 

 

  
Jihyo greeted her as soon as Momo let her into the house, putting the groceries she bought from the fish market, "I'm here to cook breakfast." Jihyo said, arranging the things needed on the table.

 

  
"What were you planning to cook?" She asked, looking at Momo who held a knife in her hand. The younger laughed when she heard Momo answered seaweed soup and patted Momo's shoulder to leave it all to her. 

 

  
Momo insisted to help, which Jihyo let her. The older was stirring the sesame oil and garlic in the pot as she slowly added the strained rice. Jihyo continued chopping the vegetables and abalones. 

 

  
"Where's Sana?" Momo broke the silence. Jihyo sighed.

 

  
"I left her alone to let her sleep a little more." 

 

  
Momo poured one cup of water into the porridge pot, "You spoil her too much, Jihyo." 

 

  
Jihyo laughed softly, "She needs someone to treat her like a baby." She glanced over Momo's side, "Add fish sauce and a little bit of salt." 

 

  
They continued talking, even sat down for a bit to have their morning coffee that Momo brewed while they were waiting for the steamed rice as they chopped the ingredients for their menu for breakfast. 

 

  
"You can go and wake Mina up. I'll handle this." Jihyo told Momo, stir-frying the Kimchi in the pan. Momo ran into her room quickly as soon as she heard it, making Jihyo broke out in laughter to her dorky acts. 

 

  
Once Mina woke up, Momo guided her slowly to the dining table. Of course, Mina had to hear Jihyo's rap of nagging along the way to the table and even when they were having breakfast about how she didn't eat properly and took care of herself first instead of worrying about the god damn photoshoot. The topic of Sana was brought up by Mina, once again, Jihyo had reassure that it was okay leaving Sana at home alone.

 

  
With all of her heart, Jihyo didn't want to expose that Sana drank a lot the night before and was passed out at home. She had to lie to the two saying that Sana got back home from someone's house late to get something about her course. Jihyo mentally screamed in relief when Momo told her that Sana said the same thing to her before taking off to _Eunha's_ home. 

 

  
She excused herself to go back before Sana wakes up leaving Mina and Momo alone again. 

 

  
There they were, lying down on the sofa, watching the korean dramas that Mina had missed while she was out of the country since Mina wanted to do that instead of just lying down on the bed. 

 

  
"Do you think So and Soo will get together at the end?" Mina asked, turning her head to look at Momo as she anticipated for an answer. 

 

  
"I would prefer him to learn from his mistakes. Look at how he is being ignorant of the letters Soo sent him, and dumped those in trash when he sees that it's in Jung's handwriting." Momo groaned, obviously was pissed off to his character. Mina pouted, wishing Momo said something else because she rooted for them to be together at the end of the episode.

 

  
Thirty minutes into the episode, Mina was already crying. Seeing the heroine in the drama at the edge of her own life, only to open her eyes a little bit wider than before when she heard a song she sang on one of the princes' birthday. 

 

  
"She's going to die."

 

  
"She's not." Mina retorted back, but not in a harsh way.

 

  
"She is. Look at that." Momo listened to what he was saying to the heroine before looking at Mina to see her reaction. She smiled when she saw Mina bawled her eyes even harder.

 

  
Mina snuggled into Momo's embrace, crying. "It's only a tv series." The younger hit Momo's chest, mumbling that she was no fun. It was fun to Momo to see her crying because of the drama. Somehow, her heart tugged a little bit seeing the tears of Mina's. 

 

  
Twenty more minutes into the drama, Momo watched seriously on whatever happened after the heroine's emotional death that made most of the characters in the series went through a really bad emotional rollercoaster ride. You may as well include the woman who had her head perfectly tucked in the crook of her neck. 

 

  
"There you go, they pulled the dream card on us." Momo snickered when Soo suddenly woke up on her bed with tears streaming down her face. The set seemed so much like people living in the 21st century, she assumed it was already in the modern times. 

 

  
She watched the ending scene silently, frowning at times when the tragic, painful end of the couple. "The plot twist is no joke." She mumbled. 

 

  
The credits were rolling on the screen when Momo finally realised that Mina, somehow, had managed to fall asleep on her shoulder. 

 

  
Momo rested her head back on the head rest. She was glad that Mina was back, and they could spend days like this. 

 

  
 _My feelings for you could be melodramatic as hell, but I will wait for you whatever and however it takes,_ Momo thought in her head as she stared at the ceiling then back to Mina, who was far away from the reality where some truth hurts so bad like how Momo was feeling, _I'm sorry for this, Mina._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> copying and pasting is fun yet tiring and i'm pretty much dead


	4. Paint Me Blue

Jihyo put a bowl of miso soup and rice in front of Sana with grilled eel and kimchi for the side dishes. 

 

  
"Eat." The older frowned hearing the strict tone of Jihyo's. She picked the utensils up and started eating slowly. 

 

  
Ever since she got back from Momo and Mina's, her head was full of thoughts. After a long ride that felt like hours to the apartment she shared with Sana, Jihyo finally came up with two answers but she shrugged it off, thinking that the answers were just pointless.

 

  
Sana looked up to Jihyo. The latter really looked troubled and demanding. Noticing a pair of eyes on her, Jihyo raised an eyebrow up. 

 

  
"What?" 

 

  
Sana just shook her head, showing the signal that nothing was wrong and just continued eating the soup Jihyo made for her. 

 

  
It was rare to see Jihyo this way. Since Jihyo would always have a smile plastered across her face, Sana wasn't used to this kind of Jihyo. 

 

  
"What happened yesterday, Sana?" Jihyo had her arms crossed and was leaned back on the chair when she asked Sana the question she had been wanting to ask since last night. The mentioned woman stopped eating, gulping her soup and looked into Jihyo's eyes. 

 

  
How did you know that? What happened? Were you there? Why are you asking this? Jihyo could see Sana wanted to ask her those just by looking into her eyes. The shocked expression that was put on her face made it even obvious. Sana quickly put a strong and blank front as she sat straight up. 

 

  
"I don't know what you're talking about." 

 

  
"You do." Jihyo retorted.

 

  
"I don't." 

 

  
"You still want to play this kind of game, Sana?" 

 

  
That question of Jihyo's made Sana speechless. She was taken aback and felt even more lethargic than before.

 

  
"Who confessed?" Jihyo softly asked, seeing the change of expression on Sana's face. 

 

  
The older looked at her coldly, before storming off to her room. The last thing Jihyo heard made her feel like she was nothing but trouble. 

 

  
"No one. Stop acting like you care." Sana jeered, slamming the bedroom door.

 

  
*

 

  
It was definitely a ride for a few days when Mina was sick, after a few episodes of Momo freaking out as if she was on her death bed and not knowing what to do when the latter got extremely hot. The other girls minus Jihyo and Sana ended up having a sleepover to calm the raccoon looking woman down. 

 

  
"I'm fine now, Momo. Don't worry." Mina smiled as she stirred the stew, softly chuckled when her gaze was averted back to the lob haired one who sat with her legs crossed on the kitchen counter, watching over Mina so that nothing will happen. 

 

  
"I'm still staying." Momo opened her mouth, giving Mina the signal that she wanted to taste the oxtail stew Mina made. 

 

  
The dishes for lunch were served on the table. The house got noisier as if they were at the canteen of their high school, everyone cheered loudly when Momo announced that the foods were ready to feast in. 

 

  
Mina loved it whenever they all eat together. She could predict what they will do. Jeongyeon would always offer and put the dishes on others' plates first, putting the other girls before her. Nayeon and Momo teasing Chaeyoung like there's no tomorrow with Tzuyu and Dahyun getting the secondhand embarrassment looking at how they were acting like idiots. 

 

  
That night, Jeongyeon drove them to the amusement park. Mina was paired up with Momo, since both of them hated thrilling rides. Parting ways, the japanese women went to the booths to fill their stomachs up.

 

  
"Mina!" Momo shouted to catch the latter's attention.

 

  
As soon as Mina turned her head to look at Momo, a bright light flashed right in front of her face with the sound of a shutter. 

 

  
The woman behind the camera smiled when she lowered the camera down to see Mina's face, "Thought you're used to camera flashes." 

 

  
"Not when it's flashed right in front of my face." Mina stuck her tongue out. 

 

  
Ah yes, Momo forgot she was standing in front of Mina and really close to her. She apologised, smiling goofily.

 

  
Momo looked around to find anything interesting for them to play, to kill the time while they wait for the queue to the hot cookies booth lessen a bit since it was really crowded. She leaned in to whisper, "Let's play there," she pointed at a booth that seemed to have a shooting game to knock all the cans down to get teddy bears as rewards "I think that's going to be fun." 

 

  
Mina smirked, side eyeing before sprinting towards the place, "Whoever gets there first will get extra food paid by the loser!" 

 

  
She didn't know why but she felt like Mina's side view was art, literally an art, a masterpiece. God took time on Mina, she thought quietly at her silly remark. The latter focused on hitting all the cans down for one life sized teddy bear in the ombre of blue, white and purple. Momo swore that she could just purchase it online and give it to Mina instead of standing there and wait for her to knock the cans down. 

 

  
"You look fierce." Momo exclaimed, taking pictures of Mina from different angles. 

 

  
Mina looked at Momo for a second before diverting her gaze back on the last can standing on the table, "Could even look fiercer than this if you want to." 

 

  
She pulled the trigger and the plastic bullet hit the object she aimed down, instantly washing the determined expression off her face and was replaced with the sweetest smile Momo had ever seen.

 

  
"I did it!" Mina jumped and hugged Momo which she gladly returned it back as the older swayed their bodies a bit due to excitement. 

 

  
The vendor smiled seeing the two and reached for the big sized bear Momo and Mina had in mind, "You two are cute. Congratulations!" 

 

  
Momo saw Mina as a kid at that time, the happy expression of hers really made her feel soft and jelly inside. It took her a moment to realise that they were actually hugging a minute ago.

 

  
*

 

  
"They really are taking a long time." 

 

  
Momo munched on her cookie that she dunked into the cold milk and accidentally dipped all of it, having some drips of it ran down her arm. Mina looked at the viking ship, where Nayeon and Jeongyeon could clearly be seen hugging each other as they all knew Nayeon was a scaredy-cat. The echoes of shoutings sounded funny to them, they giggled hearing those cries of help.

 

  
The colourful lights from the spotlights shone onto them alternatively. The singer was lost in awe seeing Mina's beauty that radiated. 

 

  
The three youngest girls came back from the flying chairs, Momo had no idea how to describe the attraction. They all sat near the Ferris wheels as they watched the lights turned into other colours. 

 

  
Suddenly, the upbeat song that the street deejay was playing was changed into a song Momo was really familiar of. 

 

  
" _No matter how much I think about it, I think that I want you,_ "

 

  
There was a crowd right around them, and Momo could see a tall man and a woman standing facing each other; immediately catching up with what was happening and what she was about to witness. 

 

  
" _If it were anyone else, then whatever, you're a bit different, you make everything stop for me._ "

 

  
When the song continued with the chorus, the guy kneeled down and reached for something at the back of his pants' pocket. Momo got her camera ready to snap some pictures of the event. 

 

  
She looked to her side from right to left. Mina, Tzuyu and Dahyun were so into it when Chaeyoung was just asking her iPhone's Siri about what song was playing. 

 

  
The continuous sound of shutters clicking couldn't be heard clearly as the crowd went aww's and ooh's. Momo smiled in satisfaction when the couple locked their lips together for a short yet cute peck. 

 

  
Mina looked at Momo, nudging her, "That's cute." She said while cupping her own cheeks. 

 

  
They got up to walk to where Jeongyeon and Nayeon were. Geez, Nayeon looked like a total mess after coming down from the viking. Tzuyu was about to greet them when a loud sound boomed and colourful strikes of fireworks were displayed up in the sky. Momo jumped in shock while Mina startled a little bit and calmed down, watching the beautiful sight. 

 

  
The older japanese stood next to Mina and put her arm around Mina's shoulder, joining her to watch the fireworks.

 

  
_Click! Click! Click!_

 

  
The sound made both of them look at Chaeyoung, who was playing with Momo's camera and now suddenly turned into their own photographer as she took a few shots of them. Momo turned her head to look at Mina. They were really close but Mina didn't even mind a bit, still engrossed into the show. 

 

  
Other than Momo's own rapid heartbeats, she could also hear Nayeon's shouts of cries because of the fireworks that made her feel scared as if it's going to blow up right in front of her face. 

 

  
*

 

  
Momo scrolled through her notification bar and pressed on the photo she posted merely ten minutes ago.

 

  
_The sight was like a dream._

 

  
She opened the comments section and started reading some of it.

 

  
_**peach.ym0m00** this is so cute :') my babies_

 

  
_**hi_raiowow** SKSKSKKSKS WHAT_

 

  
She laughed at her fans' comments.

 

  
_**jinjikim** ...gUys is she talking about the sight of Mina or,,,,,_

 

  
*

 

  
Bruno Mars' _24K Magic_  album was a must to listen to when you're on a road trip, or if you're feeling like having a carpool karaoke. As Momo drove through the lane with the sight of the beach on their right, everyone bobbed their heads to the beat, singing the lyrics. Being in charge of the car's radio, Dahyun put Runaway Baby from another album of Bruno Mars' to spice the atmosphere up. 

 

  
Momo didn't realise she was staring at Mina, who had fun jamming the songs with her dorky yet lowkey dance moves,

which was way different than the other girls' as they were dancing like crazy, using their whole body from head to toe as they expressed their rush of adrenaline out. 

 

  
She slowly got into the left lane and drove into the petrol station that had a drive-thru of Subway's, one of their favourite places to have sandwiches.

 

  
"Who wants to e—"

 

  
Momo didn't have the chance to finish her question when every single one of them shouted back at Momo, letting her know that they wanted to eat.

 

  
She again swore to herself that she heard her ears ringing and asked herself why she wasn't deaf yet.

 

  
*

 

  
"Sana seemed weird these days." Mina stated her curiosity out, sipping her iced lemon tea. Jihyo's ears perked up hearing the name and the statement.

 

  
"Weird? How?" 

 

  
Mina frowned as she tapped the table using her fingers, "How can you not notice it? You live under the same roof with her." Jihyo nodded and rested her chin on her palm, showing Mina that she was listening to her.

 

  
How could Jihyo not notice Sana's unusual behaviour? Mina thought in her head. It's the second time for her to see Sana acting like this. The first time wasn't as bad as this.

 

  
Mina remembered Sana had a mental breakdown and tossed her own stuffs down to the floor from the study table, breaking a few things. The reason she did that was because her parents were against the decision of her staying in Korea to further her studies after high school. 

 

  
"Sana could be self-centred sometimes." Jihyo arched her eyebrow at the statement. 

 

  
Being the only child of the family, Sana obviously got all the attention to herself from her parents. Mina and Jihyo acknowledged the fact that she was a sensitive person, but she will always try to take everything in without letting her emotions take control of it. 

 

  
Mina could be sharp with her words sometimes, but she says whatever that's on her mind. Jihyo could never go against it because it's Mina's opinion, she needs to respect it at all costs. 

 

  
"Hey," Mina called her out, pulling her away from her thoughts "I think Sana is bothered about something. After a second thought." 

 

  
Jihyo hummed questionably, "Something?"

 

  
Mina nodded. 

 

  
"Did you say anything to her?" Jihyo decided to ask Mina the question she had been dying to ask. At first, she didn't have the thought of Mina being the reason why Sana became like this, but she guessed it's alright to try asking the latter since the woman of their talk didn't even want to open up to her. 

 

  
Again, Mina nodded. 

 

  
It became quiet. Jihyo tried putting all the pieces together. She could hear her heart beating so loud in nervousness. Closing her eyes, she took a last deep breath and gathered all her courage to ask Mina. 

 

  
 _Here goes nothing,_ Jihyo thought. "What did you tell her?"

 

  
The favourite gummy smile of everyone's was plastered on Mina's face as she supported her head using her palm, the right cheek of hers squished against the hand. 

 

  
"My feelings." 

 

  
"Your feelings towards?" Jihyo felt nervous and challenged. A part of her was burning in fire, afraid that Mina could be having feelings for someone who's dangerous to her "This better be someone good, Mina."

 

  
Mina laughed, clapping her hands, "No, this person is really good to me." 

 

  
"Why didn't you tell me?" The older of the two asked, anticipating. 

 

  
"Because Sana is really close with her." 

 

  
Jihyo felt a tug in her heart, even more scared if Mina will tell her that she had feelings for this certain someone she was thinking of. _Please, don't let it be her._

 

  
"Is it," Jihyo trailed off, taking a deep breath before saying the name "Momo?" 

 

  
She chanted please don't like a mantra in her head. She hoped that it's not Momo. The only person she had in her head was Sana, and only Sana. At that moment, Sana's feelings was the only thing she thought of.

 

  
"Yes," _Fuck_ , Jihyo thought "I'm in love with Momo." 

 

  
The happy smile on her face made Jihyo change her mind to interrogate Mina about her feelings. She softly asked, 

 

  
"Since when?"

 

  
"Last year, when I FaceTimed her after a long day of recording the commercial for the new perfume line of Her Scent." Mina exclaimed in excitement "I realised she treated me so good, and I wanted to stay with her forever. The feeling just," 

 

  
Mina paused, thinking of the word she should use to describe it, "it just came like that? I wasn't sure." 

 

  
"Then how did Sana react?" 

 

  
The model shrugged her shoulders, humming. "I told her when I was getting ready for the last session of photoshoot a few days ago. She was talking about having dinner with Momo on that night and we somehow drifted into the topic of they were doing when we were in LA." Mina paused before continuing, "She just hugged me when I finally confessed to her about my feelings towards Momo."

 

  
"Did she say anything?" Jihyo was tensed up. 

 

  
"You know how mother-like Sana could be sometimes, she just told me that she was happy for me and she loves me so much."

 

  
Jihyo thought of wanting to rush home immediately and hug Sana. She felt really bad for the latter. Now that the last statement of Mina's cleared everything, Jihyo had finally found the answer to her question. 

 

  
To Mina, it could be the normal I Love You's Sana had been saying to literally all of them, since Sana was a very affectionate person as she loved pampering and shower people with love. But Jihyo knew what Sana exactly meant by the three words she said to Mina. 

 

  
It was Mina. It was her who Sana had been talking about. 

 

  
She acted normal after all the information she received from Mina, reassuring the latter that it's nothing related to her confession a few days ago and asked Mina to forget about it as she will try to talk to Sana about it. 

 

  
Being known as an observer and sharp, Jihyo was surprised to see Mina believing in her white lie. She sighed in relief and changed the subject.

 

  
*

 

  
Once again, Jihyo was greeted with the alcoholic smell she was really familiar of when she stepped into the apartment. Rather than the light beer she smelled yesterday, this time's was stronger. 

 

  
There Sana was, watching the Korean heist movie with both legs rested on the coffee table in front of her. Jihyo planned to slowly walk into her room without disturbing the japanese, thinking that Sana was still mad. 

 

  
"Come here." 

 

  
She froze hearing the stern tone in Sana's voice. 

 

  
Jihyo sat next to Sana when she was gestured to sit at the empty spot next to her. 

 

  
Sana had her cold gaze on the TV, face all serious and unexpressed. Jihyo could feel the tension between them, it was an understatement to say that she wanted to shout and cry. If possible, Jihyo would already have trashed everything on the table and shout until her voice cracks. It was deafening to her, she really wanted to lock herself up in the room. 

 

  
"I guess you figured it out already." Jihyo could sense the sadness in Sana's tone. Even when she chuckled just now, Sana's voice cracked. 

 

  
"Hm?"

 

  
Sana clenched her fists in the pockets of her hoodie, trying to control her emotions and bent forward to pour another glass of the Jägermeister liqueur. Jihyo observed her actions, gaze stuck on the bottle. 

 

  
From her view, she could see Sana swallowing the liqueur as if it's just water then smiled melancholy when she put the glass down. 

 

  
"Mina sent me a picture of you hanging out with her." Sana's index finger traced the bottle, following the shape. 

 

  
Jihyo let out a 'yeah' and tried resting herself on the sofa without making Sana know that she was uncomfortable. 

 

  
"Say something, Jihyo-ah." 

 

  
The request of Sana startled her.

 

  
"What?" 

 

  
Jihyo waited for a minute, Sana didn't answer. She waited for another minute yet she still didn't get any reply. 

 

  
She decided to say what's on her mind, replying to Sana's unresponsiveness. 

 

  
"She's the one you've been talking about, right?" Jihyo gripped her handbag tight. Only if the thing wasn't made of a good quality of leather, it would have ripped if Jihyo grips any harder. 

 

  
Sana chuckled, "Mina?" She swept her hair to the side, "Yes. I love her. It had always been her." 

 

  
Jihyo felt her heart was breaking into pieces, tears glistening in her eyes. Sana was about to pour another glass when Jihyo's hand grabbed her wrist. 

 

  
"You drank enough." She turned the TV off and closed the lid of the bottle; her grip on Sana's wrist didn't leave the latter and was really tight as if Sana was running away to Neverland if she ever let go. 

 

  
Jihyo purposely walked slow as she supported Sana, making Sana cling on her by putting her arm around Jihyo's neck. 

 

  
"I feel like the world is even more black and white now." Sana said, feeling the alcohol finally hit her. 

 

  
Jihyo chuckled, "What if it has a colour?" 

 

  
She successfully put Sana on the bed, now kneeling down in front the japanese who was sitting on the soft mattress to take off the latter's socks. She looked up, only to meet with Sana's eyes. 

 

  
Sana patted the space next to her, which Jihyo took the signal and slowly sat there facing her. 

 

  
"If I were to describe, I would say blue. Everyone else's would be in a happy and bright toned of colours." 

 

  
Jihyo's heart clenched hearing that. Reaching out for Sana's hand, she whispered,

 

  
"Then paint me blue. Let's share it together."

 

  
Sana's gaze was stoic, Jihyo had no words to describe it. 

 

  
The next thing Jihyo knew was she was pinned down forcefully on the bed with a soft lips crashing against hers.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> streaming to TT as i'm posting,,, 400M views for one of the greatest bops!


	5. When I Think Of Home

Political Science had never been Momo's best subject, it's the other way around. 

 

She tapped her pen softly against the surface of the table; one hand supporting her head as she listened to the professor's lectures, counting the last fifteen minutes of the class.

 

Fifteen minutes, then she's free for two months.

 

Hey, you good?, Jennie pasted a hot pink sticky note in front of Momo, nudging her arm to catch her attention. The one in purple hoodie turned her head to look at her desk mate, obviously frowning out of boredom. She smiled, writing something down on the note and passed it back to the person next to her. 

 

As the professor, or Mrs. Kim, since that's what the 51 year old woman wanted her students to call her, explained about the political behaviour of the country, Momo listened to what she was saying thoroughly before pulling out a long packaged sour patch from the pocket of her hoodie and gently slapped Jennie's left hand with it. "I hope this school burns down during the break so I can spend my time with—"

 

"Mina?" God, if she could actually flick the girl who was showing her gummy smile to her for cutting her off. 

 

Before Momo could say anything, the professor ended the class with a good night and everyone rushed out to go home. The two of them was about to submit their paperworks when Mrs. Kim stopped them.

 

"Miss Hirai, Miss Kim. What are your plans for this break?" 

 

*

 

Momo certainly wasn't lying when she told her lecturer that she was going to perform at a club. 

 

She walked through the crowd, the beat of the bass and drums together were loud and strong until she could feel her own heart beating as fast as the tempo. 

 

"Momo! Thank you for coming!" Wonpil placed his wine glass on the counter and crushed Momo into a bear hug. 

 

Wriggling out from his embrace, the japanese lightly smacked his arm. "Who bear hugs in a damn night club, Wonpil?"

 

The man just laughed as he crossed his arms. Their gazes averted to the band on the stage.

 

"That's Vans. The new band that took over The Lights." 

 

"Vans as in the brand?" 

 

"I guess so. They all wear different designs of the shoes every time." Wonpil replied to Momo's question jokingly.

 

Momo was never someone who listens to Rock, or anything similar to that but Wonpil's band always delivers the songs beautifully. The only time Momo would come to the club was if Wonpil and his band mates are going to perform on that night. 

 

"Ever heard or imagined someone turn the loud and chaotic atmosphere of the club into a romantic and calm one?"

 

Wonpil smiled, catching up with what she was trying to say, "You're definitely not kidding."

 

Who was she playing around with anyway? Momo sat on the bar stool in the middle of the stage and adjusted the microphone. Making herself comfortable, she shortened the length of the guitar strap, smiling as she did so.

 

Clubs were supposedly to be loud, Momo was aware of that. Somehow, things turned around. From hollers of incomprehensible words turned into shouts of her name. She swore to herself in relief that everyone was calling her name in a good way, encouraging her to sing for the night. 

 

Cheers became even louder when she held the microphone on the stand. Clearing her throat, Momo gave a signal to everyone that she wanted to talk, easily making the people in front of her to tone their voices down.

 

"What a good night for me to perform for the first time here, special thanks to Day6 for this opportunity. I hope that my drinks are also free tonight other than this." Momo joked, laughters filled the air before she continued her introduction "Not wasting any more time, here's a song for those who are in love, Get You."

 

She strummed the guitar, the stage lights turned into warm colours and shone over her. As Momo sang, she could see the people were swaying following the melody.

 

A couple caught Momo's eyes in the crowd, looking at each other genuinely, expressing care and tender.

 

Momo, too, wished that she had the courage to look at Mina in that way without blowing up her cover of hiding her true feelings towards the girl.

 

*

 

Again, Momo could tell the whole world that Maths was definitely not her best subject and she would rather play the drum for 24 hours long straight than finishing the paperworks given. 

 

"And there you go, another solid geometry question." 

 

She grumbled, drawing tornados on her paper as she tried to come up with an answer. 

 

"What's the formula again?" Momo asked herself, scratching her not-so-itchy head while tapping the pen on the table. 

 

The soothing guitar riff echoed from the living room, Momo closed her eyes and leaned back to ease her headache. Since when the heck did Mathematics got so hard? She asked herself.

 

A voice startled her and brought Momo back to reality. 

 

"The radius needs to be multiplied with the height, Momo." Chaeyoung stated, chuckling. She reached for Momo's isotonic drink and gulped some down. 

 

The older one was still lost even with the help given by Chaeyoung, "Okay? And the answer seems wrong." 

 

"For you to find the height of the cylinder, you need to divide the answer for the hemispherical container."

 

"Maths is just too hard." Momo turned the pages to the front page and put the booklet aside. 

 

Hearing the statement, Chaeyoung bursted out laughing. "You learnt that when you were in your last year. Guess you forgot." 

 

Momo rolled her eyes, "Guess the chapter was too hard that I still have no idea that we learnt that before." 

 

A dirty blonde haired woman peeked into dining table where Momo and Chaeyoung were at and sat next to Chaeyoung.

 

"That's so sad, Chaeng. Play Momo's performance at Club 51." 

 

Momo's gaze was fixed on Jeongyeon, glaring at the latter. "Did you stalk me or something?"

 

The so called no-jam brothers laughed with the older one shaking her head.

 

"Sana was there. She told us you sang a few songs days ago." 

 

The japanese' ears perked up hearing the name of the person she hadn't talked to for a week.

 

"Sana was there at the club?"

 

*

 

The bunny-like woman groaned for the nth time looking towards a butterscotch haired woman who sat at the edge of her leather couch, staring into space blankly.

 

"Sana," Nayeon cooed, "aren't you going to head home now? It's eleven already." 

 

Being friends with the latter, Nayeon surely had already recognised the look Sana will give if she wants to object something. 

 

Slowly reaching out for Sana's hand, she held onto the smaller hand gently, "Come on, Sana. You've been here since dawn." 

 

The said woman just shook her head, averting her gaze to the TV as she pretended to focus on whatever advertisement displayed on the screen. 

 

Sana kept quiet, trying to not respond to questions Nayeon was asking her. 

 

Feeling frustrated, Nayeon left Sana in the living room and headed to the kitchen.

 

[23:40 PM] Im Nayeon : She's still here, ain't your ass coming here?

 

*

 

Hearing her bedroom's door opened, Mina looked to her right. 

 

"I left the house this morning and you're still here? Did you even eat breakfast? Dinner?" Momo stood next to her bed, peeking to see what she was watching. Mina shook her head, making Momo frown and place her hand on Mina's shoulder.

 

She wasn't saying anything and just pulled Mina up, pushing her towards the bathroom. Knowing exactly what Momo wanted her to do, Mina pouted and pointed at the door. "Hurry up, I'll be waiting outside." 

 

When she emerged from the room, there Momo was, leaning against the wall as she munched on potato chips. 

 

"Ready?" 

 

Mina nodded. 

 

Momo felt like her heart was actually dropping on the floor and thumping really hard when Mina intertwined their hands together. The younger noticed her stiffened posture, making her immediately turned around to face Momo. 

 

"Are you okay?" Worries filled Mina's eyes, and Momo wondered how could those pair of beautiful eyes could work magic.

 

She smiled, holding Mina's hand tighter yet not that tight until it's hurting the younger. 

 

*

 

The wind hit her face as soon as the roof of the convertible rolled back, her bangs started flying all over the place. Looking to her left, Mina had her eyes closed with her arms up in the air, feeling the air pushing her hand to the back.

 

The lights of the bridge were pretty, turning into different colours every fifteen seconds. 

 

Mina turned her head to where Momo was after minutes Momo concentrated on the road while driving. Her eyes traced the soft features of the older one, smiling as she did so. 

 

For the nth time, Mina wasn't sure whether she was enjoying the sight of Momo or the presence of the latter.

 

She liked both of it though, no complains.

 

*

 

"I would have pissed in my pants if I were you, Momo! That's a funny one. So Momo, please introduce your first ever album to the audience." Ahn Hyojin or better known as LE, the host of Talk Today With LE, clapped her hands as the band at the back played the show's theme song. The coloured spotlights roaming around blinded her, another spotlight that shone directly on her wasn't helping her too. 

 

Momo hoped she won't actually have to go to the hospital for another appointment with her optometrist.

 

She slightly bowed to the audience, thanking the host and fixed her posture before starting to describe her new release on the show. 

 

"Ah, I didn't expect my debut to be this big though." Everyone chuckled at the statement, making Momo sigh in relief, "I've always been insecure when it comes to this kind of thing."

 

LE reassured her that it was fine, that she too felt like how she was feeling when she was first exposed to the publicity. 

 

Raising the album up a little bit, Momo continued talking. 

 

"I used to post covers only on social media, so it made me nervous throughout the process of completing this extended play record. Nathalie Song helped me on checking the lyrics out, as well as CEO Yoon Jung."

 

"You're the composer and the lyricist of your own album?" The audience clapped for Momo when she nodded, wow's and ooh's could be heard coming from them.

 

The Japanese started introducing the album properly, "The title is You,Then And Now and there's no song with that name here, it's a last minute plan to change the first track's title." She laughed before continuing, "The first track is Waste, an acoustic ballad about the fear of one being forgotten, I highly recommend this for everyone despite your relationship status."

 

The ones in the studio laughed. After defining another four songs, Momo was finally at the last one.

 

"This is the song I really wish for people to appreciate, it's called Never Not."

 

"Sounds like it's a really special song, is it?" LE asked, showing curiosity.

 

Momo nodded, "Really special actually. It's about the power of love." 

 

The audience showed two times even more interest when Momo said that. The singer laughed at the expected reaction coming from the audience and even from the host herself.

 

"Are you saying you've been in a relationship before?" 

 

Momo shook her head, smiling, "No! No! I've never been in one before, but let's just say everyone has feelings." 

 

Louder cheers could be heard and that brought a smile up her face.

 

"Seems like I'm not the only one who's looking forward to this song. Let's end today's cheerful show with Momo performing Never Not from her very first album, You, Then And Now!" 

 

*

 

There the girls were, gripping the airplane's seats because of the sudden turbulence.

 

"Is Dahyun breathing?" 

 

"Is Sana okay? Is she dead?"

 

"Guys, you are all aware we aren't the only ones here."

 

"Nayeon is hyperventilating. I hope she isn't dying here."

 

"If this is my last day alive, I ho—"

 

Tzuyu groaned in annoyance and threw the purple neck pillow straight to Dahyun's face.

 

"No one is dying here, calm your ass down!" 

 

Chuckles could be heard coming from the seat in front of the honey haired woman, "Stop laughing Jihyo! I'm dying!"

 

The mentioned woman just kept quiet, afraid of waking the Japanese who was sleeping on her shoulder up. Sana was a heavy sleeper, that was probably the reason why she successfully managed to stay asleep while the other girls minus Jihyo and Tzuyu were praying for their lives.

 

The times when sleepless nights were shared between Jihyo and Sana were the times when Jihyo got the chances of making sure the Japanese gets enough sleep, at least for her to live throughout the days. 

 

It was a relief to the Korean that Sana didn't remember anything the next day after what happened on the night when she got so wasted and somehow kissed her. That's how Jihyo's days went, giggling and smiling most of the time over the kiss whenever it came across her head. 

 

Sana woke up when Chaeyoung accidentally kicked her seat from the back.

 

"Oh fu—" 

 

"Language, Chaeyoung. Don't let me pull your tongue out again." Sana gritted under her breath.

 

Chaeyoung giggled then whispered her apologies so that she won't wake the passengers aboard up, slowly leaping across Dahyun who slept after episodes of freaking out because of the turbulences.

 

Fixing herself, Sana looked to her right. She was greeted with the sight of Jihyo sleeping so-not-comfortably and even in her sleep, the Korean really tried to not depend on her. She looked around again, everyone seemed to be asleep except for the very front row at the corner who had the light on. 

 

A blanket was placed right on top of her head which she took it off and looked up, Chaeyoung was there, grinning.

 

"Jihyo tried to stay awake because of you." That brought the expression of curiosity on Sana's face. 

 

The mushroom styled haired woman continued, "Before you start to bomb me with questions, it's because she was afraid she might wake you up unconsciously in her sleep." 

 

"And you're the one who ended waking me up."

 

Chaeyoung leaned closer to whisper in Sana's ear, "Tell me that again when you can easily escape from Dahyun's bone crushing hug while she sleeps."

 

The Japanese smiled looking at the person next to her. She extended her arm and placed it behind Jihyo, who had been nodding off in her sleep. Sana took all the courage in her to fix the younger's one body so that she could sleep comfortably. 

 

However, luck wasn't on her side. Jihyo abruptly woke up and looked at Sana. 

 

"Sleep here." She patted her right shoulder. The younger just closed her eyes again and put her head on where Sana asked her to.

 

Sana thanked the god for the sleepy state Jihyo was in, finally she could see the latter rest at least for a bit.

 

Her phone's screen displayed her lock screen with two incoming message from Momo. She turned her head to where Momo's seat was at.

 

Read it. Momo mouthed.

 

Sana just rolled her eyes and reached for the device out. 

 

Hirai Momo

Your clumsy ass better not act up now

 

Hirai Momo

I'm jealous of you getting babied by Jihyo when all I get from her is tons of the sickest nagging rap

 

Momo was smiling, trying to not make any move so that Mina won't be shook awake. 

 

[04:30 AM] Minatozaki Sana : Not my fault that you're one annoying ass who makes so much mess and stresses her cleaning mother mode out :p

 

Sana tried to forget whatever happened weeks ago. She knew this needed time. Dealing with thoughts that came up whenever and however she was, Sana tried to not let those affect her.

 

How pathetic she was. 

 

She had that thought the most, yet Jihyo, Nayeon and Jeongyeon would always do something to make her forget it and push the thought aside. 

 

Good things were waiting for her, that's how Jihyo said it. 

 

She would always be grateful for having Jihyo by her side.

 

Sana hated showing her real emotions to people, just because she wanted people not to worry. But Jihyo would always be the first to run to her whenever she's down, the first to hug, the first to voice her thoughts out. 

 

Sana also hated the fact she couldn't be more than a sister to Mina. Feelings were just too strong, the younger really radiated a lot of reasons for Sana to have feelings for her. The good morning snaps she sent her every morning when she was away, how Mina took her time from her hectic schedule to tell Sana how the days went. Sana loved it all. 

 

*

 

Mina laid flat on the king sized bed, still snoozing in her dreamland and in the same position when Momo left her in the room to pass her extra charger to Sana because the other Japanese forgot to bring hers. 

 

The door opened. Jihyo came into the room with messy hair and dropped herself next to Mina, snuggling further more into the pillow. Momo looked at the figure leaning against the door.

 

"I'm pretty sure Nayeon paid for four rooms, Sana."

 

Sana just softly laughed and raised the Uno card packaging in her hand, "Come to my room, let's play this there."

 

Momo caught on the signal to let the 97' liners to sleep in her room for a while. She got up and tucked the girls under the covers properly while Sana adjusted the temperature of the air conditioner. 

 

"8 in blue, 8 in yellow, 6, plus two, 5 and 5 in red." 

 

"You really hate me, don't you?" Sana groaned, watching the two cards in Momo's grip.

 

The bob haired woman laughed, "There's something we call strategy." 

 

They continued playing. Series of quarrels between the two didn't stop. 

 

Sana and Momo loved times like this, where they could spend the time for themselves; even after knowing Momo would win against her in every bickers they will have, Sana loved it way too much. Finding comfort in the older's presence, she wouldn't dare to actually pick a real fight with her.

 

The same goes to Momo. Sana had been down these days, obviously she would notice it through the short disappearance of the other. When the topic of Sana's well being came across her mind, Momo decided to talk about it.

 

Shuffling the cards, Momo called her out. "Have you been good though?" 

 

Sana hummed questionably.

 

"Of course? What made you think of that?"

 

Momo shrugged her shoulders, "You haven't been talking to me," seeing that Sana won't interrupt her sentence, she continued, "and you didn't even come to my place anymore. 6, Uno card, Uno game!" 

 

The younger Japanese chuckled, laying down on the soft mattress, "Everything is fine, really."

 

Sana was sure she heard Momo muttering liar under her breath. She watched the bob haired woman arranged the card nicely on the bedside table and sat next to her, facing the TV.

 

"You missed me, don't you?" 

 

Sana tried to break the ice. 

 

"No. I hate you." Momo stuck her tongue out; arms crossed and back leaning against the headboard.

 

Nudging her side, Sana hugged the same aged woman, "I hate you too."

 

Momo struggled to get out from Sana's grip, who actually was holding her down to kiss her on the cheek. It had always been like this. Sana would lock her in her embrace and she would try to run away from her. 

 

At times, Sana will pout whenever Momo acted like she was hard to get. Well, Momo had her soft spots too for the latter, she will smile and hug Sana back.

 

*

 

The first time Momo knew Sana was when she was only a sophomore. 

 

"Minatozaki Sana, Osaka." The face that resembled a squirrel introduce herself. Momo couldn't hide the excitement in herself that there was another Japanese other than her in the school. 

 

The months after the day Sana introduced herself went smooth. Momo became friends with her, automatically making the other girls got closer to Sana as well. 

 

"Momo?" Sana poked her arm, averting her gaze on the younger.

 

Momo hummed, looking back to the sky full of stars. 

 

"Do you think we will ever grow apart?"

 

Taken aback by the question, the older by a month Japanese sharply turned her head to Sana. 

 

"No. Stop thinking about things like that, Sana."

 

"I would feel extremely guilty if we—"

 

Momo cut her off, "You think too much, stupid." 

 

*

 

The evening of the first day was spent at the beach. 

 

"Hold onto me tight!" Momo shouted to Mina, who sat behind her on the banana boat. The waves hitting their faces, shrieks could be heard coming from the girls (mostly Nayeon's shouts and Jeongyeon scolding her for being a scaredy cat). 

 

Everyone laughed seeing how lifeless Nayeon and Dahyun looked like after the ride. Both of them collapsed on the sand mumbling thank god's repeatedly.

 

The air-filled colourful beach ball was hit back and forth to one court to another. Mina was pretty good at volleyball, dropping the jaws of the other girls because Mina wasn't even that sporty back then. 

 

"The ball touched the ground before you even hit it, Chaeng!"

 

"No! It didn't!" Chaeyoung shouted back, chasing Sana along the seaside as the Japanese kept teasing her. 

 

Sky turned into deep orange before blending into shades of purple and turned darker, the girls sat on the picnic mat while they munched on sandwiches and Nayeon's kind of edible pancakes, they were just really hungry. 

 

"We should take pictures of us." Chaeyoung got up and asked for help from the lifeguard.

 

Momo and Mina stood in the middle of the line with the older one resting her arm on Mina's shoulder. 

 

The close proximity definitely made Mina shudder, nervous than ever. A smile was brought on her face.

 

She wasn't sure if it's because of Momo or if it's because they were asked to pose for the picture.

 

It took about ten minutes from the beach to get to their room and Mina prayed to god that she hoped things would actually get in their way back home.

 

Mina remembered the first time Momo piggybacked her. It was when they had to stay back in school for a night class and as someone who sleeps early like a toddler, the younger Japanese was literally tired as hell.

 

The bus tent was a ten minutes walk from school and taking cabs at that hour sounded incredibly...crazy. Who knows if there were drunkards hanging around?

 

"Hey, don't sleep on my back." Momo chuckled when she felt Mina's head resting on her shoulder. 

 

The call jolted Mina awake. "Oh sorry, I dozed off." 

 

"Keep me company, let's talk about things." 

 

Mina thought of a topic, "Yeah, let's talk about your sleeping habits." 

 

The two laughed, "I think I don't have any, Mina."

 

The younger insisted that she sleep talks when she's asleep which Momo denied.

 

"I recorded a video of you talking in your sleep though."

 

Mina was shocked hearing the confession, "WHAT?" 

 

Questions ran in Mina's head. Did I look ugly? Was I mumbling crazy things? Did I oh god what did I do?

 

The next thing Momo said definitely didn't cross her mind and Mina swore that she could die on the spot.

 

"I mean, you look beautiful while sleeping."

 

*

 

Dinner in Australia seemed different, way different from what she usually will cook at nights. The sausages and bacons smelled fresh. Milk somehow tasted really nice.

 

Nayeon had no idea what was wrong with her.

 

"Maybe you're just growing old." 

 

"No, Jihyo. Not today."

 

Jeongyeon laughed, sipping her orange juice as she nodded her head. It's fun when Jihyo and her teamed up just to tease Nayeon.

 

She remembered the time when they hid Jihyo's phone behind the books on Nayeon's bookshelf, just to record whatever Nayeon will do when she's in the room. After days of the planning to scare the oldest, they made a move.

 

The fact that Nayeon didn't talk to them for days will always make her laugh, she was literally sulking and didn't even want to come home. That was the last straw, Jeongyeon had to pick her up at Momo's house. Well, after Nayeon crying for hours because she felt like she was dying and thought Jeongyeon hated her to live under the same roof.

 

"So it's our second night here, what you wanna do?" Jeongyeon asked.

 

Nayeon smirked.

 

*

 

"You're not drinking, bastard." Momo groaned, massaging her temples after warning Jeongyeon. 

 

Smiling awkwardly, Jeongyeon really thought Nayeon was just kidding when she said they were going to drink the night away. She said what she said, no one could take it back.

 

"I have high tolerance to this, a glass or two could do." Jeongyeon picked her half-filled glass and sipped on the liquor. 

 

"The last time I remember, it was you plus Nayeon who passed the fuck outta yourselves." 

 

Jeongyeon apologised and finished the drink. Joining the other girls in the circle, she sat next to Nayeon. Indeed, the older looked intoxicated already. 

 

"Remember when Nayeon jumped into the pool last two years while she was under the influence of alcohol?" Chaeyoung reminded them again, the others broke into laughters. 

 

Tzuyu smiled seeing the girls, "It's been a long time since we last did this." 

 

Momo nodded.

 

"I STILL REMEMBER WHEN YOU FELL DOWN THE STAIRS BECAUSE SANA PUSHED YOU DOWN!" Nayeon retorted, drunk. 

 

That's how the hours went, with screams and bets albeit they knew it's impossible. The ones stayed strong were only Jeongyeon, Tzuyu and the oldest Japanese among the girls. God knew how much they've prayed throughout the two hours since they started drinking. 

 

Leaving the others where they were, the three of them tried to not let go of Nayeon. The woman with bunny teeth was hard to handle when she's sober, now guess how she was when she's not? Jeongyeon even swore to herself if she wasn't surviving the night with half of her hair gone because Nayeon kept gripping it, she would actually go up to the mountains to be a monk. 

 

The trio successfully put Nayeon to bed, of course after sacrificing Jeongyeon into the lair of the tiger's. Momo and Tzuyu hoped the short haired woman will be seen alive the next morning. 

 

Tzuyu made the mission of taking Dahyun and Chaeyoung back to their room easier by pulling the girls' ears until they were back in the room. All hail to you, Momo thought.

 

Now there were only four of them left. Momo was about to tap Sana's shoulder when the latter suddenly opened her eyes, only to find the raccoon look alike a few centimetres away from her face. 

 

"I'm okay, not drunk yet." Sana smiled, pushing Momo's head using one finger, "But these two seem severe."

 

Momo nodded, sitting down and took the leftover chicken drumstick. 

 

"Guess it's our time to shine now." 

 

Sana laughed, raising her glass to clank it with Momo's chicken since the other won't drink anyway. They didn't mind the two youngest who were blabbering things they couldn't understand, it was pretty much like a sight of two babies talking to each other. Smiling, she looked at Momo and pointed at the girls.

 

"I feel old." Sana exclaimed. Momo knew what she meant by that.

 

"Yeah, time flew fast. Honest talk now, shall we?" Momo suggested.

 

Nodding, Sana sat up straight while she swept her hair to the back, tying it into a ponytail.

 

Sana caught the gesture of Momo asking her to go first. Without hesitating, she started honest talk session with a deep breath.

 

"I sometimes feel like I'm not good enough." She chuckled lowly, "Kind of crazy and whiny of me to feel like this, I just want people to take me more seriously." 

 

Momo just kept quiet.

 

"Yeah sure, I'm affectionate and shit. I have no one though, my parents are always busy and I don't even have any siblings. Why is it so hard for me to just give people the love and to get treated like I'm a human with feelings too?" 

 

"Did someone say anything to you?" Momo quietly asked, showing concern.

 

Sana just shook her head, "I might act like I'm okay all the time but when I'm serious, then it's a serious shit. Some just, act like I'm the type who plays around all the time." 

 

It was times like this when Momo will feel her heart clenching for Sana, since she doesn't let her feelings out often. In fact, she rarely does; once in blue moon.

 

Sana admitted that she had always been the center of the crowds, with her visuals and abilities of balancing her academics and sports. Playing for the school's track and field team with Momo, attention will always get diverted to her when it comes to relays. Being the talk of the school, Momo knew that Sana had trust issues with everyone; you would never know who is getting close with you sincerely or is after for something from you. 

 

But that's just how Momo thought of it. Sana would never tell the latter that wasn't all she wanted to let out. 

 

They ended the talk when Jeongyeon rang Momo's phone up regarding the checkout procedure, which they had to pass the room cards up before noon. 

 

* 

 

Sana stared at the passes out figure next to her. She lost track of time, the sight of the younger attracted and made her forget about everything else.

 

Putting her strands of hair away, Sana fixed her comforter so that it was covering Jihyo. 

 

The Japanese forgot when was the last time she saw Jihyo sleeping peacefully, without any distraction and meetings waiting for her ahead. She hoped this vacation could make Jihyo feel less stressed.

 

Sana wasn't blind.

 

Jihyo went through a lot. The girl knew about the love triangle between Momo, Mina and her yet she didn't even let anything out from her mouth. 

 

How crazy and hard was it to actually comprehend the situation the four of them were in. Momo loved Mina, and the latter returned her feelings back long ago. And there she was unfortunately, developing feelings for Mina and now she was stuck in between the two of them. 

 

No matter how calm she looked like in front of others, Sana could never hide her feelings from Jihyo. 

 

The younger had always been there since ever this started. From advices to being emotionally there. Wait no—even before everyone started, Jihyo had been there. She would made sure that Sana was alright before going to bed, checking whether Sana had eaten her breakfast or dinner. She sometimes had the thought of Jihyo was just her long long sister and was older than her, by the way she got babied.

 

Sana looked at the Jihyo's features. She wondered how Jihyo had never talked to her about how she was feeling, as if she hated to burden others. Frankly speaking, if she was to choose between Mina and Jihyo, it would be the Korean girl sleeping in front of her now.

 

Again, Sana wasn't blind.

 

Call her that she's just plain dumb or blind in love with Mina, Sana noticed the way Jihyo looked at her, how Jihyo sometimes accidentally blurted some hints of her feelings towards herself. 

 

Sana wasn't asleep when Jeongyeon and Nayeon rang Jihyo up the day Mina told her that she was in love with Momo too. Sana heard everything. From the cries of Jihyo to Jeongyeon's slow talk about changing her objective of being there for everyone.

 

Sana wasn't in the bedroom of Nayeon and Jeongyeon's when Jihyo came to pick her up because she refused to go home from the couple's house. She, in fact, was listening to everything Nayeon and Jeongyeon were telling Jihyo. She kept quiet behind the wall, trying to listen to everything Jihyo was saying about her.

 

Sana wasn't really under the influence of that damn liqueur when she pinned Jihyo down and kissed her— or she could say, made out with Jihyo unconsciously. 

 

Sana was aware of everything. 

 

Sana knew Jihyo loved her. 

 

It didn't matter if she was called a hypocrite or anything. Sana avowed to herself that she will fall out from the love she had towards Mina. Moving on was hard, Sana jotted that down. 

 

However, she could try. 

 

Jihyo deserved all the love. 

 

*

 

"Now what do I even need to do with you?" Momo smiled watching the model slurring her words, still not done yet with whatever she was saying minutes ago when Momo left her and went to the bathroom. 

 

Mina looked up, the frown she had before she saw Momo turned into the cutest smile the older Japanese had ever seen. 

 

Momo could feel the undertone of herself wanting to keep the woman in front of her in her pocket. She was too adorable, who could actually resist?

 

"Do you know that you're really cute in this state?" 

 

Hearing that, the drunk model crashed Momo into a bear hug. Besides tomatoes, you could consider Momo's face to be one of the reddest thing ever. The kisses peppered all over her face weren't helping. Mina was a clingy and really, really affectionate drunk.

 

Not wanting to take advantage of the girl, she hugged Mina back and locked her there, making sure she couldn't make any move and lay her head against on her chest. Momo started singing the lullaby she usually sing to Mina whenever they sleep together. 

 

Mina seemed to recognise her and giggled, "Aren't you Momo?"

 

The singer was sure her cheeks would have ripped apart if she smiled any longer and wider.

 

"Yes, now go to sleep." 

 

The incoherent mumbles of the model filled the silent room. Soft Momo was quacking.

 

The only thing Momo hoped that time was for her to spend her days like this forever even though she knew it's impossible.

 

But who knows?

 

Whenever she thought of home, Mina will always be there in her head.


	6. Voyage D'Amour

"Exactly, why did she even agree to Nayeon's suggestion?"

 

  
Momo chuckled, head turning slightly to the right and she looked up again to the other Japanese. 

 

  
"Now she's facing the consequences, must be so hard, eh?" She replied to Sana's joke. The butterscotch haired sipped her coffee after the waiter filled her cup. 

 

  
On the other hand, the woman in talk wasn't even suffering. Waking up to a tight hug of Nayeon's, she managed to order whatever dish with the word 'soup' in the menu for the older to ease her incoming headache once she woke up. 

 

  
She ended up breaking the hug, quietly so that the other won't wake up. Pretty sure it was because she didn't want to face the wrath of Nayeon's, or maybe it's because she just wanted her to sleep more considering the amount of liquor taken the night before. 

 

  
The same bellboy who helped her carry the luggages up on the first day came delivering their breakfast for that morning. The sun wasn't completely up yet, rays of light orange mixed with the shades of translucent blue peeked through the sand coloured curtains. Nayeon's face looked soft and she wished that could stay forever, of the older looking carefree and peaceful even with the bedside lamp shining faintly over Nayeon's. 

 

  
She had no other choice but to wake her up, before the oxtail stew that came with pumpkin soup get cold. 

 

  
If she was used to waking Nayeon up every morning, she could say getting the other up whenever she got drunk was hard. Jeongyeon admitted to that, it wasn't that easy though. 

 

  
Being pulled up gently, Nayeon groaned and whined afterwards. She couldn't cared less but gave in to her sleepiness, continuing her sleep as she rested herself against the unrecognisable one who woke her up.

 

  
Jeongyeon loved it nonetheless. 

 

  
However, putting up a strong front, Jeongyeon calmed herself down from the nervous feeling in herself due to the sudden clinginess in the morning before shouting next to the older's ear.

 

  
That was when the peaceful morning of theirs turned into another chaos.

 

  
*

 

  
**[BREAKING] Nation's Sweetheart and Actress Nana denies her relationship with SECRET's UEE**

 

  
The headline appeared on the screen perked Sana's ears up, especially to one of the names. She turned to watch the hanging TV in the mart.

 

  
 _Well,_ Sana sighed. 

 

  
*

 

  
The Japanese scrolled through her messages, only to stop when it reached the bottom of the list.

 

  
_Im Jin Ah_

 

  
Sana sighed seeing the name yet opened the conversation between her and the other one. 

 

  
**[03:44 AM] Minatozaki Sana :** _Thank you so much for everything, Nana._

 

  
 **[03:44 AM] Im Jin Ah :** _No matter how regretful i feel for ending it like this, remember that you will always be in my head. What we had might sound complicated and impossible to others but both of us know that we somehow helped each other._

 

  
Afraid that the Korean would think of it wrongly, Sana decided to plan it out of what she was going to say.

 

  
 _Fuck it_ , she thought. Her thumb pressed the name in the call log and immediately directed her to Nana's contact. 

 

  
She waited. One ring after another. 

 

  
"Maybe she feels the same way as before." 

 

  
Just when Sana wanted to press the red circle button in the bottom of the screen, the _calling mobile_ sign turned into the start of counting the seconds of the phone call. 

 

  
" _You're the last person I expected to call me, Sana_."

 

  
*

 

  
Sana remembered it all. She remembered everything that happened between them. From the reason why they started and they ended. 

 

  
"But I definitely do not have any traits similar to Mina. Why do you keep coming back to me, Sana?" The woman sipped her whiskey, sliding the glass a little bit to the bartender so he can pour more. 

 

  
Sana kept quiet. Her index finger traced the small glass and shrugged her shoulders. 

 

  
"You definitely know why you're here. Can't stop until I say so."

 

  
To Sana, the woman in front of her was interesting.

 

  
To Sana, she loved how vivid Nana was. 

 

  
The Japanese turned to face her. The hazel orbs meeting into Nana's dark ones. Sana wasn't wearing anything revealing but enough for Nana to not fight back with whatever she was feeling inside. 

 

  
Leaning closer, Nana whispered in her ear before disappearing.

 

  
"My place as usual in an hour." 

 

  
What was she expecting anyway? Nana was alluring, exquisite.

 

  
Sana wasn't able to breathe properly, her tries would ended up blocked and breaths became hitched. Lower body of hers was locked, making herself suffer to the touches of Nana's. It had always been like this, Sana couldn't back out anymore.

 

  
The slick between her legs wasn't helping, Nana's skilful tongue and godly good fingers weren't helping too. She felt so light with the knot tying up in herself. She didn't have to deny it anymore. 

 

  
It wasn't Nana in her head. What an ungrateful bitch she was being. Instead, it was Mina. Nana was completely aware of that, after knowing the objective of them doing this and hearing that particular name screamed out of Sana's mouth. 

 

  
From her view, Sana was an angel. The thin layer of sweat formed on her forehead, the way Sana looked as she bit her bottom lip and her eyebrows furrowed in pleasure. 

 

  
Red deep crescent marks formed where Nana was gripping Sana at. The older apologised mentally yet kind of liked it since Sana's inner thighs looked damn hot in that way. She caused that.

 

  
Her sinful and loud yells filled the dim bedroom, Nana groaned listening to that. Sana couldn't finish any of the words she tried to get out from her mouth. The Korean let her fingers do the work while she reached up to Sana and kissed her roughly. Sana was still panting so hard even after she had their tongues battled for dominance, which she clearly won due to the other being so lost in her own pleasure. 

 

  
The waves inside of herself became even intense, stronger and bigger. Sana could only grab Nana's hair using one hand as the other kept gripping the bedsheet. The feeling of tipping over was so big, Sana felt like she was sent to heaven for that. 

 

  
Series of _fuck's, Mina's_ and words Nana couldn't make it out were let out even faster and she definitely knew what was coming. Sana was literally squeezing her hand in between her thighs but she didn't mind it a bit at all. 

 

  
That was the last call.

 

  
Sana threw her head back, her body arched as she spilled out loud moans that made Nana smiled in satisfaction. Even after knowing she reached her peak, she didn't stop. Nana continued pumping and rubbing Sana's core, letting her enjoy the ride even more. 

 

  
Nana stopped whatever she was doing when Sana rested her position on the bed, recovering from her release. Her hair was tousled, chest moving up and down heavily. 

 

  
Laying down next to the girl, Nana watched her half lidded eyes closed completely until her ragged breaths turned into the calm and constant ones. She knew that was the last time she was going to see this sight. 

 

  
The Japanese looked vulnerable with only her comforter covering her bare figure. The night ended with Nana watching the other all night, taking mental snapshots of the moment she knew she won't get to see anymore.

 

  
Sana had no idea that was the last time she was going to meet Nana. 

 

  
*

 

  
That was the only difference of Momo and Sana, and she was completely aware of it. 

 

  
She wanted to know how Momo could actually stay that way, without being dangerously crazy like she did. The other stayed loyal, with only getting crumbs from social medias. 

 

  
Sana couldn't stay still. Sana did things she couldn't believe herself doing. 

 

  
Surprisingly, Nana still wanted to meet her after separating ways because of her own greedy acts.

 

  
*

 

  
"You can take the train from Brisbane to—wait I forgot the name of the place but whatever it is, the scenery is really cool since you'll pass by the beach."

 

  
"Okay we get it, Mo. Please stop doing that sign." Jihyo massaged her temples, Momo immediately put her hands down from making the circle. 

 

  
Mina came into the room hand in hand with Nayeon, the older wiggling her eyebrows when the other Japanese in her hotel room had her eyes locked at the intertwined hands. 

 

  
"I was confused who is who just now, until I realised Nayeon is not that elegant." 

 

  
"Shut your mouth, Yoo Jeongyeon." Nayeon snapped, pouting afterwards as she walked to the empty spot on the bed.

 

  
The oldest Japanese reached out for the white plastic bag on the coffee table, only to find her hand getting slapped away by Sana. "That's mine." 

 

  
Noticing the look on her face, Mina grabbed Momo's hand and excused themselves to the convenience store at the ground floor of the hotel.

 

  
"Uh, hello, welcome! And the," Chaeyoung stopped and looked around before continuing, "lovebirds are out." 

 

  
The elevator was quiet, with Momo leaning on her side against the rail and the younger looking down to her not-so-interesting feet. What was interesting to look at when she was just wearing a pair of the slippers given by the hotel as a complimentary gift?

 

  
Momo was standing in the queue, waiting for the other to grab the thing she forgot to take when Mina came into her sight with her hands full of snacks that locals usually eat there. She forgot that this was what the younger loved to do every time she flies out of the country. To visit the place's convenience store is a must, to explore the good god of snacks world is a must to her. 

 

  
"I clearly remember you said you're taking one." Her voice was playful, enough for Mina to get the signal that she was teasing her.

 

  
"Whatever on the rack seemed so nice and catchy." 

 

  
*

 

  
The country was way different from Korea. From the culture to the people there. Everything was so different.

 

  
Well one of the rare same things was the drive thru McDonald's they stopped by just now. 

 

  
They had two hours and a half to go, the campervan couldn't be any noisier. Jeongyeon tried to not lose focus and drove them through the road with the picturesque view. 

 

  
Playing from Glory Days of Little Mix, the girls sang with enthusiasm to No More Sad Songs, obviously enjoying the time together. Jihyo's perfectly hit notes mixed together with the others' screaming to the lyrics, Dahyun's ad-libs brought so much laughters. 

 

  
The School Meal Club, if that's what they called themselves, sat at the upper tier, where they had to lie down on their fronts to communicate with the older ones. The rest of them were at the lower tier, on the floor as the van had no seats while the two oldest were the parents of the group. Jeongyeon driving while Nayeon controlled the radio. 

 

  
"I love Surrender the best in your album, Momo." Nayeon stated her opinion as she scrolled through the songs from the album on Spotify. 

 

  
Chaeyoung whined, saying that the song was underrated because it was just an interlude. Continuing to discuss about Momo's album while listening to it, Mina decided to ask when a certain song came on.

 

  
"You said that Never Not is written for someone special. You haven't been in a relationship before though?" 

 

  
Shocked by the question, the others kept quiet, not knowing what to answer and even react. Thank Jihyo's smart self, the tanned Korean immediately started creating a fuss saying that Momo had been single all her life.

 

  
"Are you in a relationship with someone else behind our backs?"

 

  
"Do you like someone?"

 

  
"Who is this unlucky girl?"

 

  
God, Momo swore to herself that she was relieved these dumb idiots knew how to cover the situation up. Being bold, the Japanese decided to spice things up a little bit which made her receive seven pairs of eyes that showed the what-the-hell expression and one in jealousy.

 

  
"Well, there is someone." Giggling at their reactions, Momo shrugged her shoulders and reached for the baked sweet potatoes paper bag. 

 

  
Again, she thanked God for blessing her with friends with great acting skills when they started bombing her with obvious questions which they knew the answer already to not make the clueless Mina suspect anything. 

 

  
"Hey, Is Miss Kim Dahyun jealous? You kept asking her the exact same thing." 

 

  
Dahyun froze when Mina immediately glared at her because of Jeongyeon's statement. She looked into the rear mirror, locking her eyes with the second oldest's. 

 

  
"No! I was just curious!" 

 

  
"Dahyun is lying, she has a crush on Momo!" Sana joked around, making Jihyo nudge in agreement. 

 

  
 _Ah, this is what you are all doing._ Momo caught up with the plan of making Mina jealous. What she really didn't know was the girl next to her was actually fuming up in jealousy. 

 

  
"Just say it if you like me, won't you? Let's date." She teased. Laughters filled the van while Dahyun objected to the fake confession. They watched Mina's expression and the two girls in front of them knew exactly what she was feeling, knowing what Mina felt to Momo. 

 

  
The talk continued, topic diverted to Chaeyoung who was telling them about Dahyun's attempt to cook at their shared apartment along with Tzuyu and how the youngest had to prevent their home from getting burnt down. 

 

  
Momo was laughing when Jihyo made an eye contact and pointed to Mina, whom she just realised have been quiet after the teasing. She looked to her right and woah, guess that the latter was still frustrated in her sleep until she didn't even want to lean on her in her subconscious state. It looked extremely uncomfortable for her to sleep while hugging her knees, Momo decided to make a move.

 

  
Tzuyu softly muttered good luck for her, not wanting to face the wrath of an angry Mina anymore. Let the first and last be the time when Jeongyeon accidentally spilled black ink on one of her collections of plushies that made the latter sulk for days. 

 

  
Patting the model's arm softly, Momo motioned her to sleep on her lap. God knew how nervous she was, the fact that Mina was frowning before scared her even more. 

 

  
Luck was on her side, again. Mina complied to the request and gave in to her drowsiness. Sloppily laying down on Momo's lap, the older caught the baby pink blanket thrown from the upper tier and covered the now snoozing in dreamland younger. 

 

  
She somehow felt like she was back to the press conference she had when she first debuted with an album when the other girls immediately fished out their phones to take lots of pictures and videos of that sight. 

 

  
Sana, on the other hand, smiled seeing the two's bond. How oblivious they were to their own feelings when all of them already knew and figured out that they're meant to be together. She felt a warm hand enveloping with her cold one. Looking to the side where the warmth came from, Jihyo was smiling to reassure her that everything was fine and for her to not think much about it. 

 

  
If Sana wasn't optimistic, she would probably not find out about the younger's feelings towards her. Just how good were both of them to hide these big secrets of theirs?

 

  
*

 

  
Lay Me Down blasted off the Bluetooth speaker Momo brought from home. The singer hummed the melody, arranging her toiletries on the counter. She noticed Mina's side of her belongings while the other seemed to be lost in thoughts sitting on the edge of the bathtub.

 

  
"Your perfume smells so much different than mine though. Kind of tells our personalities really well."

 

  
Mina smiled, nodding at her remark. "You prefer leather scented ones while I prefer gourmand. It's cute that we really are the opposite."

 

  
Momo almost said "opposite attracts" to the younger as a reply. She cursed herself but half of her was regretting it because she didn't take the chance.

 

  
*

 

  
"Who is the special one, Momo?" 

 

  
Momo laughed at the girl who was swinging her feet as she sat on their new room's bed. Guess the topic wasn't done yet for her.

 

  
"I don't know, maybe my sister?" She joked, sitting next to the still pouting latter.

 

  
"You don't even like her at the first place! You tease her a lot." 

 

  
"You're really curious, aren't you?" Mina looked at Momo with hopeful eyes, wishing the older would just tell her who was it. 

 

  
She still had her arms crossed, the sound of something hitting the bed's frame filled the room. Mina had never gotten this curious, that's what Momo noticed. 

 

  
Momo also noticed that every time her phone rang or a notification came in, Mina would be the one who had her gaze averted to the screen to see who was it. The thought of the extremely curious Japanese was funny and cute.

 

  
"Promise me you will tell me tonight?" The younger raised her pinky finger, ready to seal. The bob haired woman just stuck her tongue out and went to the fridge to ease her not-so-dry throat. 

 

  
**[19:33 PM] Im Nayeon :** _WHY DIDNT U CORRECT ME WHENEVER I SPELL THIS PLACE's NAME WRONG HIRAI_

 

  
**[19:33 PM] Im Nayeon :** _YOURE SO GONNA GET IT_

 

  
**[19:34 PM] Hirai Momo :** _I did correct you once, but you were so busy talking about your new hair colour. So boo boo the fool :p_

 

  
The view was breathtaking from their room, facing the sea while the sun set beautifully with the ray shining over the beach. 

 

  
"Lobby at eight by the way for dinner, you—" Mina was out of sight when Momo turned around. She wasn't aware of the sound of shower dropping on the floor, creating messy yet soothing rain.

 

  
* 

 

  
"So, besides the good food," Chaeyoung started, still munching on her pasta, "the music taste is kind of nice too here."

 

  
Momo groaned, "Just say that you like these sickly looking guys and go." 

 

  
"Hey that's my opinion!" 

 

  
The music stopped and the tempo of Allegretto was played by the man in his sixties on the stage. The girls smiled to the familiar melody.

 

  
Another man in suit walked on the stage, positioning himself in front of the vintage looking microphone. He had a long trench coat on, a dark brown to be exact. The enthusiasm could be felt, even by the way Momo saw his feet tapping following the beat.

 

  
" _You're a falling star, you're the get away car,_ " He started off the song.

 

  
Nayeon clapped her hands once, making the girls turn their heads to her. "Isn't this your favourite piece from Michael Bublé, Mina?" 

 

  
"I thought you liked Nobody But Me?" Chaeyoung asked, obviously confused.

 

  
The dinner went on like usual, of course with Tzuyu shutting Nayeon up because apparently someone didn't know how to not talk while eating and lower her laughter, forgetting that they were not the only ones there. 

 

  
*

 

  
"Where is Nasi Lemak from?" 

 

  
"Malaysia." Mina answered the singer, switching the channels on the Tv.

 

  
"What about Bakso?" 

 

  
"Indonesia." Momo paused for a while, thinking of what she should ask next.

 

  
"Real shit now, who stole my heart?" The older grinned. Eyes full of affection and hope watching the other one.

 

  
Mina had her eyes opened wide, shocked because of the sudden question. Only God and herself knew what she felt inside.

 

  
*

 

  
"Your mum must have missed you a lot." Momo came out of the bathroom with only in her sweatpants and tank top, ready to put on her sweater for the night. The younger one looked at the woman standing in front of the mirror, drops of water dripping from her wet hair. 

 

  
"She was letting me know about Kai." Hearing the name she haven't heard for long, Momo turned around as she wrapped her hair with the towel like she was wearing a turban on. 

 

  
Slipping into her soft green sweater, she sat down under the covers next to Mina, "What about him?"

 

  
"He got accepted for the internship with KP. Didn't expect that guy to aim for a financial company instead of sports." Giggles filled the room. It was funny that the guy who used to beat bullies up in school, the guy who excelled in sports and used to be the talk of their region for being so good in curriculum could be the guy who actually applied for a marketing management career.

 

  
The sound of someone key-smashing on the phone woke her up. She peeked through one eye, Mina's phone brightness were too bright for her now-trying-to-adjust-to-the-light eyes. Once she got the clear vision, she tried to pretend that she was still asleep and read whatever the younger was typing.

 

  
 **[02:44 AM] Myoui Mina :** _CAN YOU BELIEVEEEE MOMO IS SO CUTE SLEEPING NEXT TO ME I FEEL SO HIGhHhHh_

 

  
**[02:44 AM] Myoui Mina :** _if i don't reply you by eight tomorrow that literally means i'm dead because of her cuteness_

 

  
**[02:46 AM] Park Jihyo :** _Miss Myoui, i get it that you're whipped for her but please, it's two fucking am. I need my sleep._

 

  
**[02:46 AM] Park Jihyo :** _You're probably going ✈️ uwunation or maybe uwuville_

 

  
Momo really wanted to giggle reading the cute messages exchanged between the 97' line girls, maybe to smack Jihyo a little bit for the vulgar word she used considering she had always been the polite one. 

 

  
 _Ah, wait,_ Momo thought. She observed even more through the messages, after a few minutes of processing she finally got the answer. 

 

  
What does whipped mean? That was the only thing going in her head. Plus, it came from Jihyo who was chatting with this Myoui Mina next to her. The recent attachment sent by Jihyo even made whatever she was thinking clearer.

 

  
A picture of her and Mina in the van earlier when they were on their way to Bedarra. Someone wasn't really staying loyal to her promise, Jihyo was going to get it.

 

  
The next morning, Momo woke up early again. She thought she wasn't used to the time zone yet but there she was, waiting for her coffee to cool down. 

 

  
The thing about Mina and Jihyo kept her awake the whole night after waking up abruptly. There were conclusions made up in her head, but she was too afraid to confirm it because of her own feelings.

 

  
**[7:33 AM] Hirai Momo :** _h-hey_

 

  
**[7:33 AM] Hirai Momo :** _doEs Mina like me,,,???_

 

  
She waited for the other's reply and scrolled through her Instagram account for updates. Stories from the day before posted on the girls' personal accounts. Man she could say that they were like her own fan account with Mina. They loved one (1) ship, maybe a tragic one. 

 

  
Momo looked out the window, the drama was still playing on her iPad while she just ignored it and played with her phone. 

 

  
 **[7:50 AM] Minatozaki Sana :** _Took you ages to figure it out, dumb bitch. Also, the fuck why youre stuttering thru texts_

 

  
**[7:51 AM] Minatozaki Sana :** _Go get your girl! She still has no idea you're head over heels for her since years ago :)_

 

  
Did Sana just say that calmly as if she knew about it long ago? Momo typed in her reply, complaining that Sana didn't tell her earlier only to get a scolding reply back from the latter because she was just too dense and dumb. 

 

  
Momo kept it cool. She placed her phone back on the table and shifted her gaze on the iPad back. The reflection of the younger snoozing at the back could be seen clearly from the mirror in front of her. 

 

  
Episodes passed, she was now on the last episode. The time showed fifteen minutes to ten. 

 

  
"I like the fact that Young Hoon became the chairman now." As soon as Momo heard that voice, it somehow took a toll on her and her heartbeat raced on time. Her effects. _Hers_.

 

  
The girl sat next to her after she pulled the chair Momo used to put her handbag at and placed her head on Momo's shoulder, obviously still sleepy. _You smell like orange_ , she mumbled sloppily but the older managed to make the words out. Yet Momo didn't answer her immediately.

 

  
She still couldn't fully comprehend what she figured out and to say she was happy was completely an understatement. She was beyond happy, even happier than the time when she got her first A+ for English back then in high school because apparently she thought she got dumber after knocking her head against the wall in primary. 

 

  
"The mother died though. Half of me is fine with it because she used to turn her back completely on the Robot Shin." 

 

  
Mina hummed, agreeing on Momo's statement. They continued to watch the drama until the end, exchanging reviews and thoughts about the scenes happening. Hallelujah, Momo was also flying around mentally out of giddiness. 

 

  
*

 

  
Momo came in a minute after Mina started brushing her teeth. The faucet was running and the older Japanese washed her face using her cleanser, lathering it up on her two palms. 

 

  
"We're meeting the others at the lobby later. Not sure about what we gonna do though." She informed as she rubbed her cheeks, cleansing thoroughly deep within her pores. The younger's eyes were on her, saying 'okay' while her mouth was full with the foamed up mixture toothpaste and water, making it hard for Momo to know what she was saying yet the other just nodded her head.

 

  
She looked at themselves in the mirror. Mina's hair was still messy from the sleep, her oversized Bee Jacquard pyjama in green suited her well. Or maybe that was just because Momo was really in love with her that made her look damn good in everything. She had no idea, she guessed. 

 

  
"Why are you looking at me like that?" 

 

  
Mina brought her back to reality, her head was tilted slight due to confusion. Momo just smiled, reassuring that she was just observing her luxurious sleepwear. Half of it was true, Mina was one of the people she had ever seen to wear such expensive clothing to sleep. Gucci was one of the high end brands, Momo only had a few pieces from that store. 

 

  
"I dreamt of you though." Mina giggled at herself for dreaming such things. The dream she had was a good one.

 

  
"Seeing the way you giggle like an idiot, I must've been the heroine in it." The younger nodded. She proceeded on telling how it went, from Momo being her best friend since young to how the dream turned into Momo being the best pet rescuer for her own charity work. She knew that the older loved dogs and cats too much despite her own allergy to them. 

 

  
Momo listened to her, leaning against the bath tub while Mina was still standing at her position where she brushed her teeth. "I wish we could do that together though." Mina continued.

 

  
She nodded, standing up and fixed her hair. "We can if we're together." 

 

  
"We're already together here, Momo." Mina rolled her eyes at the obvious statement, pointing her index finger back and forth to her and Momo. 

 

  
 _Oh god fuck it_ , Momo thought.

 

  
"You know what? I love you too since years ago."

 

  
Mina was taken aback. Did Momo just confess or wh— she couldn't make anything out.

 

  
"What do yo—"

 

  
Momo pulled her closer, one hand cupping her waist and another on her shoulder. Mina wasn't sure if she was dreaming or this was really reality but she swore she couldn't process anything out now.

 

  
The older sensed that she was shocked to the sudden kiss and immediately pulled away from her own action. 

 

  
"Won't you reply my kiss back or you'll just stay slow like how long you'll take to reply to my messages, Myoui?"

 

  
She was still a tease even in this serious yet memorable moment. Mina circled her hands around Momo's neck and the singer took the cue to kiss her again, even more gently and passionate unlike earlier. The kiss was intermingled with the taste of Mina's minty toothpaste and Momo's too sweet to her liking coffee, yet the none of then cared. It was soft, slow and comforting. No rush in it except for the rush in themselves, they felt like flying. 

 

  
*

 

  
"So you're saying that Momo confessed to you in the fucking bathroom?"

 

  
"And you just woke up?"

 

  
"Both of you were in the bathroom? After brushing your damn teeth?"

 

  
"I've never heard of that." Tzuyu mumbled.

 

  
The girls dropped the questions in the van after the two announced they were together. 

 

  
Well really, how absurd it was to actually hear someone confessing in a bathroom? After one cleaning herself and the other wanted to release whatever inside her own damn bladder. 

 

  
Mina and Momo laughed along with the girls, teases from them came through like bullets on their way to their scheduled snorkelling and diving trip. 

 

  
"Guess we're the odd couple?" Mina whispered in her ear, giggling as she did so.

 

  
Momo nodded, "The cutest one, perhaps?"

 

  
The sound of Jeongyeon imitating that she was barfing could be heard from the back. The girls laughed again when Dahyun exclaimed that they were the most tragic ship she had ever seen in her entire life.

 

  
Momo was happy, the same goes with Mina. The van was filled with excitement as they told stories about how their oh-so-unrequited love started and how one acted behind the other. 

 

  
Sana looked at the two with eyes full of love. Jihyo noticed it, she hoped that the older's smile could stay like that forever even though that the feelings of hers would never get to the Japanese. They will always stay as friends anyway? Jihyo as her angel and Sana as her own guardian.

 

  
The Osaka-oriented woman looked over the Korean next to her.

 

  
 _Hold on a little more, baby boo_. She said in her head, smiling even wider and sincere. 

 

  
That was only a chapter, there was more to go for all of them.

 

* * *

 

 _Also, I had to create my own Sana x Nana interaction because apparen_ t _ly i am **that** thirsty for it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> told y'all sana made a(nother) mess


	7. Lights Out (Hymn Too)

"Why are these ants crawling up to me?"

 

  
"Because you're too sweet." Momo received the imitated sound of someone puking from Jeongyeon and a shy giggle from her _girlfriend_. Finally, after years and years of crushing and eventually falling in love with Mina, she had the chance to call the other girl her love of the life. 

 

  
Not an imagination of hers anymore, it was the real damn reality. Or as what Sana called it, the gift from god. 

 

  
The oldest in the car looked at the back when she stepped on the break, stopping at the traffic light, "This is why I forbid any sweet things in my car. You're paying for the carwash fees later, Momo."

 

  
Grumbles came from Momo, saying that she just wanted to eat before sending Mina and Jihyo to Myeong-dong for the model's schedule of the day.

 

  
"Talking about the commercial, do you even know who you're collaborating with?" Sana asked.

 

  
The two shook their heads.

 

  
*

 

  
Mina sat in the meeting room anxiously, fiddling with her handbag strap. 

 

  
Managers weren't allowed to sit in the room while the discussion was going on. The company she was going to work with was a little bit, strict. Not that she was complaining, she understood that some companies were secretive. But for her to be in the room alone without Jihyo was a bit unsettling.

 

  
On the other side, there Jihyo was, in front of the vending machine while she waited for her hot Milo. Watching the cup getting filled with the chocolate drink, she wondered who was this other model Mina was going to collaborate with. This was the first time the younger would work with someone else.

 

  
Jihyo realised that two figures were behind her when the shadows of theirs appeared in front of her. Looking back, she saw a tall, good looking woman and someone else who had the image of an assistant. 

 

  
 _Isn't this the actress I saw on Instagram a few days ago?_ Jihyo asked herself, thinking whether it was really the woman she saw on social media. 

 

  
The said actress was searching for something, perhaps her purse, in her bag before averting her gaze to Jihyo, who was crouching down. She smiled when she finally processed who Jihyo was.

 

  
"I know you. Sana's friend, right?" 

 

  
Jihyo stood up and bowed a little bit, "Uh, yes but may I know how do you know me?" 

 

  
It was weird to her. She had her account private, no one else had access to it except for the other girls. 

 

  
"Sana posts a lot about you on her Instagram account. I'm a," Nana paused, not sure of who she was to Sana "You can say that I'm her friend." 

 

  
Jihyo nodded, smiling. 

 

  
"What brings you here though? You work here?" 

 

  
"Oh nope! I work as Myoui Mina's manager." Nana made an 'O' with her mouth. 

 

  
"Must be nice for her to have her own best friend as her manager. People on the internet would say it as hashtag friendship goals, if I got that right." Jihyo laughed at Nana's joke. 

 

  
Realisation hit her, finally after a few minutes. She stepped aside with her cup of Milo and let Nana's manager purchase the drink while she chatted with Nana.

 

  
"So you're—" 

 

  
"Yes I assume that I'm collaborating with Mina, since you're here." Nana chuckled at her adorable confused expression. 

 

  
*

 

  
**[TRENDING] Ethereal Model Myoui Mina's to collaborate with Actress Nana for high end brand GUCCI as South Korea's ambassadors**

 

  
The screen displayed the headline and an attachment of the photo of Mina and Nana posted by the brand's official account. The shock was evident on her face.

 

  
_Hey Ji, is this true **|**_

 

  
She didn't press send, still contemplating and scared if her secret went away. 

 

  
_Hey Ji, i **|**_

 

  
Sana cleared and left the message box empty. 

 

  
She guessed that she was just too nervous, she forgot that she could just look at the top of her screen for the time and instead looked at her watch. They had another hour to go until they need to pick Mina and Jihyo up. 

 

  
Sana walked to the ice cream stall, where Momo and Jeongyeon were. The two could be seen eating peacefully, busy with their phones. 

 

  
"Have you heard about Mina and Nana?" 

 

  
That was the first thing Jeongyeon asked when she sat. Sana meekly nodded, eyes still stuck on the oldest's phone screen. 

 

  
This was the last thing she could ever ask for. 

 

  
*

 

  
Keeping this secret away from others way hard and it would always be. Everything was hazy, complicated to Sana. She had never get things easy. Never handled it easily. It wasn't easy at all. 

 

  
Nana was a substitute. For Mina. Yes, for her. Why did she even do that? Sana was confused again, she was frustrated. 

 

  
Reloading the explore page on her account, she continued doing so until she got an update about Nana's whereabouts. She also wondered why she was eager to know where the actress was. Why was she so desperate? 

 

  
Was it guilt? Was it something else?

 

  
*

 

  
"I'm afraid of blood." Mina mumbled, eyes still closed.

 

  
She hissed when she felt the sting on the back of her palm, it was cold and painful. 

 

  
"I know, I know. That's why I asked you to look away." Momo dabbed the wet with alcohol cotton pad on the wound. It hadn't dried yet, but that was the best thing to do or else it'd get infected. 

 

  
"You're prohibited from cooking." Mina chuckled at that sentence. It was cute to her, really cute to be exact. "You've been using prohibit word a lot." 

 

  
The older grinned, plopping down next to the model. Mina leaned back and rested her head on Momo's extended arm. 

 

  
Mina stared at her, who had her eyes closed and facing up to the ceiling. 

 

  
Momo was more than a best friend. Momo understood her more than everyone else. To actually call the other her girlfriend or love of her life, she preferred looking at her as her soulmate. Call her crazy or anything if that meant the same things, but the fact that Momo was so important in her life could either lift her up to the sky or break her when things go wrong.

 

  
"Movies and chill? Plus snacks!"

 

  
The older scrolled through Gomovies, searching for movies they could watch and enjoy their night together. Mina munched on her Cheezels while looking at the movie recommendations on the site.

 

  
They ended up with Grease. Mina remembered the first time she watched the movie back then when she was twelve with her mother. High School Musical was around her era, then Grease would be her parents'. 

 

  
"Danny is literally the 70's Zac Efron." The lovebirds were cuddled, snuggling into each other's warmth under the blanket in the cold, dim living room. Momo reached for the cheese balls using her hand that wasn't playing with Mina's dark brown locks. 

 

  
The scent of lavender with a little hint warm vanilla had spread throughout the room from the air diffuser. Momo had her plain white t-shirt on and a comfortable maroon in colour sleeping shorts from H&M, making Mina feel even more at ease to lean on Momo. She clearly heard Momo teasing her by saying she was snuggly.

 

  
" _What are we going to do after graduation?_ " Dina Manoff, or better known as Marty in the iconic movie said, which she got an expected reply from Jan.

 

  
" _Yeah maybe we'll never see each other again._ " 

 

  
What was said made Momo chuckled a little.

 

  
"You know, when I was a teenager, I used to think like that. I thought I would never meet you guys again and separate ways," Her hand didn't stop fiddling with the younger's hair, "But look at us now, where we are."

 

  
"I would prefer to not get my hopes up, but seeing the way we are and how close our relationships with each other now could lessen the burden a little bit." Momo could feel the vibration when Mina laughed softly, her shoulder against hers moving up and down. 

 

  
Momo moved forward and left a light peck on Mina's lips, smiling when she pulled away and heard the younger squeal in shock. 

 

  
"That's our second kiss, by the way." Momo grinned as she reminded Mina. The girl was literally red, face covered with both of her small hands. 

 

  
They watched the ending credits scene rolling in a congenial silence. An advertisement came next, just when Momo was thinking of a place they frequently went during their high school days.

 

  
"Remember the grandma who sells the crispy chicken tenders across the family KTV? The one we often stop by every time we walk back home."

 

  
Mina hummed.

 

  
"I heard she collapsed and was sent to the hospital. Some said it's because she overworked because her grandchild needed a large sum of money for her school fees, some said she has been ill since long ago." She said. Mina let out a long 'eh', definitely one of Momo's favourite eh's. 

 

  
Momo reassured that the grandma was fine, the cause was still unknown. 

 

  
She shifted and faced the older, hugging her even tighter and buried her head further into Momo's neck. The other one could only smile and pulled her even closer, resting her chin on top of Mina's head. Heck God, she had never been this attracted to the smell of Victoria's Secret shampoo. Had never even knew that it existed until she saw the bottle in Mina's bathroom that led her on buying the perfume version of it and was still unused, kept on her shelf full of different perfumes. 

 

  
Softly smiling at the fact they were so different, Momo continued piling facts up to support that statement. Note; she was also a little frustrated because Mina could be smelling like a fruit stall sometimes, with her dark scented strawberry hair wash soap and vanilla suds plus her lotion which Momo couldn't recognise what it smelled like. Was it Lily or Jasmine? She couldn't figure it out. 

 

  
What in the world really, Momo could just buy whatever was on the rack at the body or hair section in the store like Herbal Essence or something like a three in one treatment. 

 

  
She started trailing her fingers on Mina's face, tracing the holy works that God took time to craft this woman in front of her. 

 

  
"I just remember that Jihyo's birthday is in three days." Mina mumbled.

 

  
_Wait, now what?_

 

  
*

 

  
Sana slowly walked under the umbrella, watching the snow that fell and swept aside between the road and pavement. Her phone showed it was already seven. She had thirty minutes to be at the cafe in Myeong-dong for the celebration. 

 

  
She remembered the books Jihyo bought when they went to Kyobo a few days ago. Seemed like she wanted to sharpen her English, considering that she bought a lot or in fact, five thick books of Korean-English Language dictionary and ways to use it. The last time she heard the Korean spoke in the language, it was fluent and if she had no idea that Jihyo wasn't a native, she would've thought the Korean was an American with the slangs and accents. 

 

  
"Welcome to Cups!" Sana was greeted once she stepped into the cafe. 

 

  
There weren't many people, only two couples and her friends— wait, friends? She counted silently, Mina with Momo and there Jeongyeon and Nayeon were next to the three youngest girls. Jihyo sat in front of Momo. An empty spot next to oldest Japanese was hers, she figured it out but who was the woman looking down to her phone that she was going to sit oppositely?

 

  
Sana said hello back, placing her paperback that had Jihyo's present next to her legs. 

 

  
"Hello there, Sana." _Whoa I'm fucked._

 

  
Nana was literally in front of her. Right, she forgot Jihyo and Mina got along with the actress and they had a shoot together that day. Her slow brain finally caught up, cussing mentally in her head. 

 

  
"Long time no see, Nana. We're supposed to meet tomorrow." She had her arms crossed, back leaned against the chair and head tilted a little bit to the right. 

 

  
Both of them were surprised they could act along without even being suspicious. 

 

  
"Ya right. Surprise baby!" Nana rested her chin on her fist, her other hand sipped on the iced latte, where she made a face once her tastebuds identified the bitter, really bitter, coffee she forgot to put sugar in it. Sana chuckled lightly at that. Years after, she was still the same. 

 

  
While the latter's attention was only on the actress, Jihyo observed. They looked like very good friends indeed, she didn't mean it the other way. When asked, the women both answered the same thing. They replied that they met in a club to Nayeon. 

 

  
Not a whole damn lie, they really did meet each other for the first time at the club. The rest of the story stayed unknown, assumed they were just friends and nothing more. 

 

  
What Sana didn't notice was the look Jihyo gave after Nana, purposely leaving a kiss on her cheek and the faint lipstick mark was evident right above her jaw. However, the girl was a little oblivious and didn't get that jealous. Only when the older squealed in delight when the actress' lips touched her skin.

 

  
 _What a baby culture_ , Jihyo thought in her head. Momo saw the pout on her face, clearly catching up with Jihyo's feelings; kicking her leg lightly and arched her eyebrows with her silly grin plastered across her face. 

 

  
*

 

  
The surprise cake-blowing plan successfully went on. Of course, Jihyo had caught them when Momo and Dahyun made a ruckus about the extremely fair girl accidentally mistook Momo's hand as the candle even though it sounded dumb. Blames on her eyesight, that's what she said to defend herself.

 

  
That didn't end there.

 

  
Jihyo got smudges of icings on her face, a little bit on her hair while Nayeon got a handful right under her jaw after eyesight problem of Jeongyeon's thinking that it was her cheek she aimed for. 

 

  
They all knew who was sleeping on the couch that night.

 

  
*

 

  
"Remember this song?" Nana leaned against the rail, watching the vehicles passing by next to Sana. 

 

  
She nodded, listening to the R&B from the early 2000's. She, too,  remembered this song being played on their third meet. Ironically, she didn't let go of anything from the past yet. 

 

  
"Guess we're on the same boat." Sana exclaimed lowly, realising the actress tried to talk about what happened back then. 

 

  
" _What did she say? She said she'd love to,_ " 

 

  
Flashback to the days when Nana was the one who gives and Sana receives. Kisses shared, pleasures given yet none of them thanked each other for whatever happened. What happened in the room stays there, as if it's a motto of theirs.

 

  
" _Rendezvous, she asked me what we were gonna do, said we'd start with a bottle of Moet for two,_ " 

 

  
It had always been like that. A shot of whiskey after another, then it will lead them to bed. Sana wasn't an alcoholic drinker either, back then. Things happened, things took turn. 

 

  
"You won't tell anyone right?" 

 

  
"What do you even take me for? Obviously no." Nana let a low laugh out, looking down. She was kind of frustrated that Sana thought she could be a snitch.

 

  
"Just asking." 

 

  
She reached for Sana's hand. Her warmth radiated to Sana's cold one. 

 

  
"Everything would be alright. It's our secret anyway"

 

  
_She hoped so. She really hoped so._

 

  
*

 

  
The familiar and iconic humming started the song, followed with the loud snare and bass. 

 

  
"Joel Adams really created a good one." Her face was squished in between two palms. 

 

  
She smiled, "This song is for you though."

 

  
The younger was about to reply her when the bedroom door suddenly bursted open, revealing two older women standing by the door, one had her hand blocking the other's eyes from the sight.

 

  
"Did we interrupt something, Tzuyu? Chaeyoung?" 

 

  
A pillow hit her face. Just nice, she was just asking and that was the present received. 

 

  
"No! I just wanted to play with her cheeks!" Tzuyu defended from Momo's completely false statement. They weren't even together, why would they even kiss? "But why are you here?"

 

  
Momo snickered, "Just wanted to pass you this. Both of you participated for volleyball right?" 

 

  
That must be from Miss Seunghyun, Chaeyoung thought. She took the jerseys from Momo's hold, thanking her when she did so. 

 

  
"I forgot you're practically best friends with her." Tzuyu rolled her eyes, sinking down on the bed again. 

 

  
"Wonpil passed it to me. I talked to her only twice, or maybe thrice." The two youngest nodded in acknowledgment. They stood there in silence before Tzuyu hushed them out.

 

  
"That's it right? Goodbye!" She softly pushed the two out the room, leaving them with Dahyun who somehow just got back from the convenience store. 

 

  
"They're not dating?" 

 

  
That question of Mina's made Dahyun laughed, choking on her banana milk as the result. 

 

  
"Oh they are?"

 

  
The questions remained unanswered.

 

  
*

 

  
Jihyo was still asleep when she got ready for her morning class, waiting for Momo to pick her up as she wasn't in the mood to drive. She wondered where the younger went the night before. 

 

  
"You didn't answer my calls, Sana." Momo complained once she got in, pulling the seatbelt.

 

  
She apologised. She forgot her phone was set on silent since she wanted to study for the theories. 

 

  
"Did Jihyo come back late yesterday?" Sana nodded.

 

  
She was asked why and just shrugged her shoulders, not knowing the reason as she unconsciously slept on her study table when she was revising. Momo reassured that maybe Jihyo went to the bridge near her place, the Hangang Bridge since she posted a story of her being there a few hours before the sun had risen up again. 

 

  
"That late?" Momo hummed as an answer.

 

  
In class, Sana was seated next to Seulji, her desk mate since she was a freshman in college. 

 

  
"You know we're going back late today, right?" Sana was somehow surprised, she wasn't informed about the time. Excusing herself, the Japanese went to the toilet.

 

  
One ring after another, Jihyo didn't seem to pick her calls up. She sighed before making her way to Momo's faculty building. 

 

  
"You don't usually come here." Just when she stood in front of the other's class, Momo finished her lesson and went out from the room only to find Sana leaning against the wall.

 

  
"Jihyo didn't pick my calls up." 

 

  
"Really? Maybe she's still sleeping?" Momo asked. Sana obviously didn't buy it either no matter how logical it sounded like. 

 

  
She started from saying that she had been living with Jihyo for years, deducting the years they were separated when Jihyo was out of the country to how she knew the exact time the younger would wake up every single day. 

 

  
Momo called Mina to check up on Jihyo, taking the Uber for her to get to Sana's place. The other just texted Mina her passcode for access to her house. 

 

  
"Hey, let me know if there's anything." The older Japanese could sense the tone of worry in her voice. She nodded, rushing her way out the building and went to Sana's house while the other walked back to her class. 

 

  
Hours passed, it was already nine in the evening. That was the last class out of all her four classes for the day. Students were nodding off to sleep as the old professor around his fifties was explaining how the fixed income department do their work. 

 

  
*

 

  
"Sana's class ends at?" Mina hugged Momo from the back, resting her head against the back of her neck.

 

  
"In thirty. I was thinking of going to pick her up now." Momo turned around and hugged Mina before continuing "You're going to be fine taking care of Jihyo alone for a while, right?"

 

  
The younger walked Momo to the door, kissing her goodbye on the cheek as the other ran to the lift. 

 

  
"Good evening, Mr. Lee." Momo greeted the man in the elevator, bowing slightly to show respect. 

 

  
The man greeted back as he pressed the ground floor button. 

 

  
"You didn't tell me that an actress lived with Sana." Momo's face turned into confusion from calm. She asked Mr. Lee to say it again as she thought she heard it wrong.

 

  
"The woman who acted as Park Sungkyung in Garden Full Of Flowers, I saw her helping Jihyo yesterday when I came back from work around two in the morning." 

 

  
She froze hearing the description given of the woman's. Momo kept it cool and parted ways with Mr. Lee. Turning on the engine, she immediately pressed on the accelerator and drove fast to their university. 

 

  
After fifteen minutes of driving in silence, the figure of Sana's friend appeared in her sight. 

 

  
"Sana went home already?" Momo asked. Seulji nodded, pointing her right. 

 

  
"She rushed to god knows where when a car honked us. I couldn't see well." The younger got into the car as Momo offered to send her to part time work, since the 24 hour cafe was just minutes away and it wasn't convincing for the girl to get a taxi there. "I thought it was you. You have a lot of cars anyway." 

 

  
Momo chuckled at the humour. Seulji was one of the people she could trust to stay with Sana, since they had the same background and the latter was really sincere through her actions. Laidback about everything, Momo admired that.

 

  
"I may not know what's going on but you look like you have something important to talk about with her. Plus, her phone couldn't stop blaring since the last class until she had to turn it off."

 

  
Momo clung onto the little shred of hope in herself. She slowed the car down and lent her jacket to Seulji.

 

  
"Keep it, make sure to keep me informed when you finished your slot!" 

 

  
She drove around the city, maybe she hoped she could find the now lost and nowhere to be found Minatozaki woman. Her right hand was busy since earlier calling the other one, only the calls to get forwarded to her voicemail. 

 

  
 **[22:11 PM] Nana Nana :** _Hello, Momo right? Sana is with me._

 

  
*

 

  
"You have a whole lot to explain." 

 

  
Momo stared at the woman who drank her watermelon shake quietly for two reasons. One, because of the things she wanted to talk about with her. Two, because she was having a real damn watermelon shake right in front of her.

 

  
She sat upright, both arms folded on the table. 

 

  
"You didn't tell me you have feelings for Mina." Her question sounded soft yet stern in some aspects. Sana was obviously taken aback by the question. 

 

  
"What?" 

 

  
"You heard me."

 

  
Sana could only hum. She was speechless. Who would've expected this day to come?

 

  
"Nana told you?" There she went, started speculating the other woman she did things with. 

 

  
"Don't involve her in this. Jihyo found out from your own fucking phone." 

 

  
When did that happen? How did it happen? How did Jihyo find out her password? What made Jihyo do that?

 

  
A deep sigh left Momo's mouth. Her head tucked in between her arms and she clearly was disappointed. Looking up, she settled her gaze into Sana's eyes.

 

  
The look in Momo's eyes softened, seeing Sana's troubled expression. "I'm not mad, if you think I am. Just shocked."

 

  
She knew Momo was still angry, so she just kept quiet. Momo knew Sana was feeling sorry and wanted to apologise.

 

  
The other nodded.

 

  
The rain created the sound of pitter-patter outside of the cafe, lights from the cars going back home after work. It was silent, Momo felt like she was going crazy.

 

  
However, she had to keep it calm. She reached for her buttered coffee bun and parted it into two, one handing it to Sana. She smiled, gesturing the other to have it with her.

 

  
"Mina has no idea about this. Jihyo knows everything, even including myself." 

 

  
Sana stayed quiet. She was afraid, in despair. The only thing she could say was "You won't cut our ties here, right?" and it came out distinctly. 

 

  
"Of course no. I just want to know why you did those. Or you wanna hear my opinion to this?" She received a nod as the answer, which she understood why.

 

  
Momo admitted she was a little bit mad when she heard about it from Jihyo, and the Korean wasn't the one to blame in her perspective. She was literally sick after the intake of alcoholic liquors and faced the aftermath. She tried to get Mina away from the scene by asking her to make anything for Jihyo to recover from her unwell state even though she clearly told everyone to avoid her girlfriend from coming into the kitchen.

 

  
Sana was asked if she was petrified. Of course, she said. She didn't do anything much but tried to shoo her feelings away by things she shouldn't have done. 

 

  
"It is fine to me that you liked or maybe still liking Mina because it's your own feelings anyway, but what you did with Nana made me a little furious. I'm sure you're aware of Jihyo."

 

  
"Her feelings towards me?"

 

  
"Yeah, I figured you would've known about it."

 

  
Momo didn't say much about her opinion. 

 

  
"Just," She smiled warmly, encouraging Sana to build her confidence up "Explain about this to Jihyo. She deserves an explanation."

 

  
Sana insisted for Momo to get mad at her for keeping her feelings for Mina as a secret yet the latter just toned her down, saying it was fine for her to have feelings but not do anything to break their friendship and her relationship with Mina. 

 

  
"I kind of moved on from your girlfriend, you know?" Sana grinned like a Cheshire cat.

 

  
Before they got into the car, Momo pulled Sana into a long, comforting hug. Might sound simple and normal but to Sana, it gave her courage and she felt like she was taken care of in a great way by Momo. They raise their voice to each other a lot, yet they knew that the love in themselves won't be taken over that easily.

 

  
*

 

  
Sana was scolded once she stepped inside the house, by the youngest in the apartment. She apologised for not answering her messages and calls, also for not looking out for the only Korean in the household. 

 

  
Scrambling into her own bedroom, she changed her to her pyjamas and bid goodbye to the couple. Momo gave her a last pat on the shoulder with the meaning of she should try talking about it out with Jihyo. Sana followed Mina's orders of giving the younger her medicines in an hour to lower her temperature and get the stew ready for her to eat. 

 

  
The tray of the meal and pills was placed on the dining table, where it was located right in front of the room Jihyo slept in. She slowly opened the door, not making any sound and the only light beaming in the room was from the almost burnt out lamp which she forgot to change the bulb after years. 

 

  
Jihyo's sleeping face could be seen from where she was standing. She looked sick, indeed. Thanks to Momo's childish yet always prepared ass, Jihyo had a koolfever patch stamped on her forehead; body tucked perfectly under the thick covers as she snoozed in her own La La Land.

 

  
She slowly carried the tray and put it on the dressing table next to her bed, sitting at the remaining space left by the Korean. Mina kept an eye on Jihyo while playing with her phone there, she assumed. 

 

  
Waves of different feelings she couldn't fathom out hit her like a bullet of the M13 something Minigun she watched on Discovery Channel, if she was asked to explain how she was feeling in the best way she could. Her white sleeves she rolled up had to get unrolled back to wipe her tears.

 

  
She felt sad, full of apologies, regretful to the girl in front of her. Sana tried taking a few deep breaths, following the rhythm she usually use whenever her head was messing around with her emotions. 

 

  
Sana swept the hair on Jihyo's face away before shaking her awake. It was a lie if she wanted to say that she didn't feel like she wanted to die on the spot when she heard Jihyo's voice that was coated with sleep. Her heart tugged even more when the younger supported herself up using her arms, eyes weren't opened yet. 

 

  
"It's you." Jihyo said when she realised that Sana was the one who woke her up. "Mina?"

 

  
The Japanese shook her head, telling her that they went home one hour ago. She passed the bowl of stew to Jihyo without making any noise, still sitting where she was at earlier and just sat there, watching her eat without the overflowing gusto she usually had in herself. 

 

  
Jihyo looked away from Sana when she tried to wipe the stew that was spilling and rolling down from the younger's mouth down to her neck, making the Japanese retreat her hand back and looked down. She really must hated her so much.

 

  
The girl just put the bowl back on the tray and took her prescribed medications by herself, gulping the water down the throat as if she was drinking her brain out. She half-slammed the glass, thankfully it didn't break and just laid back down on the bed, not facing Sana. 

 

  
"Ji—"

 

  
"Get out. I don't want to hear anything." Jihyo was so cold on her, not that she was mad about it. She deserved it anyway. 

 

  
Sana sighed. One after another. She went to the living room and turned her phone on. Messages and missed calls flooded in and one caught her attention.

 

  
 **[00:02 AM] Im Jin Ah :** _I met Jihyo_

 

  
 **[00:02 AM] Im Jin Ah :** _She was drunk yesterday. And somehow spilled the TEA on how she found out._

 

  
**[00:02 AM] Im Jin Ah :** _After years, you still haven't erased our conversation. She read all of it._

 

  
Sana was brought back to the memory when Nana and her were at the cafe where they celebrated Jihyo's birthday at a month ago. 

 

  
"Jihyo seems like she has feelings for you." Sana hummed questionably at what Nana just said.

 

  
"What made you think of that?"

 

  
Nana told her that jealousy was expressed well on her face especially when she placed the unexpected kiss on her cheek, and it's an understatement to say that she didn't feel her aura that was scary at that time.

 

  
Unlike what she thought when she found out about Jihyo's feelings towards her, Nana gave her an awful lot of nagging. Saying that she should return her feelings back one day and the least she could do now was to take a good care of the latter. 

 

  
_I think I will go crazy, even crazier to remember,_

 

  
_The beautiful us of the past,_

 

  
_It's too hard for me now,_

 

  
_I won't make the same mistakes again so please,_

 

  
_Don't leave._

 

  
*

 

  
Momo and Mina were seated opposite of each other. 

 

  
The younger spooned the ice cream in her rootbeer float as she had her eyes on the hanging TV at the corner of the fast food restaurant that showed the rerun of Lakers' game against New York. 

 

  
"Don't you think you're ignoring your cute but bored partner now?" She looked back at Momo. Chuckling, she loved the sight in front of her. Momo cupped her face using her hands, making her cheeks look squishier and it was as if like she aged ten years backward.

 

  
They ended up on the bed after leaving her half-finished drink and Momo's untouched burger which they gave to the security guard just in case if he's hungry as the night grows darker because the older whined for a long, long cuddle time. 

 

  
Momo's right hand cupped the model's left cheek perfectly, as if it was meant to be hers. Her pinky finger tucking the strands of hair behind Mina's ear while the other just laughed because of the tickles she felt. She counted the moles of constellation on Mina's face. How she wished for Mina to know that she stole kisses on every of the stars whenever the younger was sound asleep on the bed. 

 

  
"You look like you have a lot of things on your shoulder earlier, Boo." Mina mumbled against Momo's collarbone, succumbing to the soft massage the older was giving her at the top of her head. 

 

  
"It's nothing much. Don't worry." She smiled hearing the concern of the younger's. She wasn't planning to tell Mina everything about it, maybe just a little bit about Jihyo getting all jelly about the Sana and Nana interaction. But that could wait later. 

 

  
A hand showing her pinky finger appeared next to her head, no wonder she felt Mina's hold onto her back loosened. She chuckled at the cute gesture and sealed her promise with the younger, pulling the hand back to her shirt so Mina could cling on it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter is purely inspired by H.I.M's Lights Out (Hymn Too),
> 
> kinda explains Sana here


	8. Overplayed Melody

Sana's eyes fluttered open; waking up to the cold temperature of the room and the bathroom's light she forgot to turn off. 

 

  
She could only hear her dull cloistered heart as the rain continued to fall. The tinkling sound was faint yet loud enough for her airy-fairy self to rouse. The Japanese walked out her room somnolently to the dry kitchen thinking that maybe a glass of water might help. 

 

  
Sitting at the dining table with the ear-shattering silence, she lit the scented candle up. Her nostrils engulfed the oriental and rich hint of Vanilla in the air after minutes, she watched the tint of smoke disappeared in the air. 

 

  
She gazed to the room where Jihyo was sleeping in. So much time had passed to her when it had only been three days since the day things took an unexpected turn, she had never talked to the younger after that night. The other seemed to not even care about the slightest thing she do.

 

  
Breakfasts she made left untouched on the table, even drinks she put on her nightstand stayed the same volume like how she poured it before placing it there.

 

  
Her thoughts drifted to a blog she came across last night. 

 

  
She spent years, and years hurting Jihyo by staying with her but never fully choosing her. How ironic and loud that was, seemed like it was written for her and only her.

 

  
" _Unfortunately, as happens with many young couples, our ignorance of how to do love well quickly created stressful challenges in our relationship._ " That got her good, that clawed her real good. 

 

  
Jihyo was a museum full of art.

 

  
But sadly and how unfortunate it was, Sana had her eyes shut. 

 

  
 _How does a balanced life feels like?_ Sana asked herself, thinking of the things she stepped on and went through, ignoring a lot, a whole damn lot of things behind.

 

  
That was for her to find out.

 

  
*

 

  
The couple got bored of eating out. Therefore, there they were in the kitchen. 

 

  
Momo cut the traditional Kimchi she bought from the supermarket down the corner of the road near her apartment. She liked that one personally, although it costed a lot for one pack. Mina on the other hand, was stir-frying the sauce for their main highlight of the dinner, roasted yellow corvina that they got this morning. Luckily, the fisherman recognised who they were and gave them the freshest catch. 

 

  
"Can you bring the pot to the table? And tell uncle and Hana that everything is ready." The younger asked, scooping rice from the cooker into their own bowls. 

 

  
They missed it. Times like this were precious, to have meals with your family and to chitchat about random things together. 

 

  
"It's been so long since you last went back to Meguro, Mina. I'm sure Ray misses you already." Mr. Hirai said in between of their conversation about things in Japan. She nodded. 

 

  
"The last time I met Mum and Dad was a year ago in Santa Monica," She chuckled a bit, "I should visit them after the last recording with Gucci. Let's go back together, uncle." 

 

  
The man and his daughters who thought they're was being left out in the conversation agreed to the suggestion. 

 

  
"We can just eat at the residence and let the chefs cook the best dishes for you two, I assume both of you really want to eat home cooked foods like these." Hana said before looking at Momo, "And I thought you're the type who messes up the kitchen and sets it on fire." 

 

  
Momo frowned, objecting the statement as she defended herself with proofs, real proofs that she can cook very well as she grew up alone. 

 

  
With his daughters all grown up now, Mr. Hirai could not deny the fact that they weren't his little princesses who used to run in the garden until the sun sets, who will ask him to buy them presents from his business trips out from the country. He admitted it himself, they were all matured and there was this feeling in him that would never fade away. Hana and Momo will always be his little children, who will fight about little things and reconcile with only a simple invitation to the gelato parlour near them.

 

  
Momo saw a notification popped up on her phone's screen. 

 

  
 **[20:35 PM] Rachel Yoo :** _Hello Momo! This sounds rushed but can we meet in 30 minutes? I can send you the location if you're coming. :)_

 

  
She excused herself from the table and went to the living room to make a phone call.

 

  
Rachel Yoo was the main vocalist in _Symphony of Angels_ , one of the now-rising girl groups. The Japanese met her when she was invited to a variety show under SBS entertainment and got into the same team with the idol. 

 

  
"What's the matter? You sounded serious." She spoke through the phone, feeling nervous as she thought something happened to Rachel. 

 

  
She received no immediate reply, only hums of nerviness. After seconds of waiting, she finally got an answer.

 

  
" _Nope—_ " The woman shrieked, " _I mean, there is actually something we should talk about but not here on the phone. You're okay with it?_ " 

 

  
*

 

  
Momo kept her eyes on the road though the silence was uncomfortable to her, it was too tense. She side eyed the raven haired next to her. Rachel was looking out the window, what was so interesting to look at out there anyway? It was just the wall of the tunnel. 

 

  
"I can see you looking at me through the reflection, Momo." She chuckled, turning her head to the one driving. 

 

  
Momo smiled, "Please tell me everything, whatever shit you're in now. You're making me worried, you know?" She asked, more like stated. 

 

  
The latter refused, still insisting she was going to spill everything out when they're at the cafe later. 

 

  
Minutes later, Momo asked the idol to get a table for them while she went to park the car. 

 

  
The store was cozy, very comfortable and somehow gave her a warm feeling of home. The pine wood shelf got her reminded of hers in Tokyo, an old bookshelf she used to put her thick reference books. Rachel sat at the table right next to the foggy window, due to the rain. 

 

  
"Pressed orange for you, less sugar. I don't know what your preferences on drinks. This is the most I could come up with." Momo shrugged her shoulders, sipping her juice as the woman in front of her looked like she was ready to start her story.

 

  
She nodded, signalling that she was all ears for the latter. 

 

  
Rachel started with an uncertain hum, followed with an action of her scratching her not-so-itchy collarbone just to ease her anxiousness. 

 

  
"I heard from someone that you're close, maybe kind of close to the new choreographer under my agency." Momo arched an eyebrow to that. 

 

  
"You mean, Joongki? The tall blonde, tattooed?" Momo asked for confirmation, which she received a nod as the answer. 

 

  
"How do I say this? He," Rachel trailed off, thinking, "He tried—" 

 

  
Momo swore she saw tears left the idol's eyes before Rachel managed to block her view using her hands. 

 

  
She started to let it out. It was such a shock to Momo hearing that the guy laid his hands on the girl, taking advantage of the close proximity when Rachel had a dance practice with him. For goodness sake, he had a pure image to Momo, that was how he appeared in front of her. 

 

  
"So you haven't told anyone about this? Even your members?" 

 

  
"I'm scared if he does anything to me again. He threatened me twice, Momo!" She sighed, trying to process the information in her head properly. Reassuring that she will try to dig things out secretly, they finished their drinks and got back into Momo's car to send the vocalist back to her dorm near her company.

 

  
"I'm sorry, Momo." Rachel hugged her, a tight one. Momo caressed her back softly, "It's fine. Just go to sleep and save your energy for your performance tomorrow, okay?" She encouraged.

 

  
She acknowledged that Rachel was a clingy type of person, just like Sana when the latter suddenly planted a kiss on her cheek and ran up to the door of her dorm's. Momo forgot to check her phone for any messages and just as if it was planned, Momo got a message from Yoonjung, her CEO.

 

  
**_Miss Yooooonjung_ **

_Hey, asleep?_

 

  
_**Miss Yooooonjung** _

_I need you to be at my office by 11 tomorrow. You're free?_

 

  
*

 

  
It was close to midnight when Sana parked her cabriolet at the basement. Walking into the elevator, she had her earphones on and if she wasn't alone, she would've gotten a scold for listening to the song loudly in public. 

 

  
The door creaked open. She went inside and placed the coffee bean paper bag slowly on the kitchen counter. The same things happened again and again, like how she's been doing since ever she stopped talking to housemate. 

 

  
As she emerged from her room after changing her clothes, Sana absentmindedly walked towards the small table which the height was just around her waist and took her laptop. 

 

  
She heard a cough coming from Jihyo's room but just shrugged it off, _maybe she choked on her own saliva or something_? 

 

  
Sana continued typing her research for the presentation, messaging Eunha on twitter throughout the process to discuss about what was needed and what wasn't. The electronic drum flam from one of _Sofi de la Torre_ 's songs played softly on repeat, as she didn't want to disturb the latter who was sleeping in her room.

 

  
Another cough was let out by the Korean. The only thing separating them was the door of the room's. 

 

  
She got up, finally making up her mind and walked into the kitchen. _Flu, flu, fever, yes there! Cough syrup!_ Sana cheered mentally, thanking herself for finding the thing she had been searching for two minutes ago although the medicine was just right in front of her on the second level in the fridge.

 

  
Slowly opening the door, the first thing she saw was the figure who sat up on the bed but she was sure Jihyo had her gaze set on her too. "That was your second cough." She turned the light on and made her way next to the bed.

 

  
"You're acting like nothing happened between us." Jihyo uttered, her body was still in the same position; resting against the headboard and arms crossed. 

 

  
"That might be the second reason why I decided to come in here." 

 

  
The Korean chuckled in disbelief, eyes still looking like she was the last person she wanted to see. "You're just like how I expected. Running away from your problems."

 

  
"If you are referring about you feeling betrayed— or maybe dejected because I had a past with Nana, I sincerely am sorry for not telling you earlier." She paused before settling herself on the empty spot next to Jihyo, "Or is there something else that I'm not aware of?" 

 

  
"The least you could do is to give me hints about what you did. Not fucking distancing yourself away and just— I don't even want to talk to you." She closed her eyes to distract herself from looking at Sana. 

 

  
Right, she should not have distanced herself away. With that being said, Sana felt like knives were plunging her heart. How did she actually not realise that it was what she had been doing all this time?

 

  
Still, Sana didn't give up. She pressed about the times Jihyo didn't come out of her room when she was in the house, not even wanting to spare a glance to her. Letting the latter know that she admitted it was entirely her fault, Sana rejected the actions of Jihyo staying away from her too.

 

  
"It's been a week, Jihyo. We should really fix this." She added, a bit too emphatically. The Korean's facial expression softened slightly, Sana noticed that. 

 

  
She reached out for her hand, holding it with the feeling of full warmth and attention, even desperation to end everything that was happening now. Jihyo was taken aback, but she kept it cool like how she used to do and didn't shove her hand away. "Maybe you should fix this." She mumbled, but Sana heard it.

 

  
"Look at me," Jihyo wasn't sure what had gotten into herself to make herself turn her head and locked her eyes with Sana's. It took the Japanese a while to continue what she wanted to say, 

 

  
"I'm so sorry."

 

  
It was just three goddamn words, three. But those that slipped out Sana's lips brought tears that immediately spilled down her face. She wasn't sure why she was crying, why she was hit strongly with feelings just because of the apology. 

 

  
Sana pulled Jihyo into a comforting hug, holding her securely with love and tenderness. She repeated again and again, that she was guilty for making her like this, for not considering her feelings, she was sorry for everything. As much as she wanted to hold herself back from crying more, Jihyo felt a strong wave in herself to let her tears out. 

 

  
And she did. 

 

  
What kind of rollercoaster ride they submitted themselves into? Sana could feel Jihyo's shoulders heaved with emotions. A lone tear traced down her cheek. Just how much did this girl she was cradling love her? 

 

  
"Don't you know that I love you?" Jihyo managed to let the words out in between her sobs, "You're so dumb, oblivious as hell." 

 

  
Sana smiled. She continued listening to the younger one.

 

  
"You often hurt me like this, and we will stay the same with me still wrapping myself around you like how a Koala would." She found it cute that Jihyo was now confessing, pushing her timid, shy self away. Sana pulled away from the hug, her hold onto the shoulders of the younger's was still firm. 

 

  
Jihyo stopped herself from letting her know about what she felt, nervousness washed the expression of anger away. 

 

  
"I didn't ask you to stop admitting your feelings to me, why did you do so?" 

 

  
At times like this, Sana could still grin widely as if she won the bet between her favourite baseball team against someone else's. It reminded Jihyo of how alike the Japanese with Momo, best friends indeed. 

 

  
Sana traced Jihyo's lips with the tip of her finger. 

 

  
"I swear this isn't those things you might have thought I would do but—"

 

  
"Whatever you're going to say, don't sa—" Jihyo was cut off by Sana's next words.

 

  
"I love you, in the same way you do." She was engulfed into a hug again. Jihyo cried even more, even harder than before. She chuckled when Sana asked whether was this what puppy love really meant like those TV shows she watched on TVN. 

 

  
She put the messy strands of Jihyo's hair away, "How could I be really, damn dumb to not realise my feelings sooner? I swear this isn't a lie." 

 

  
Sana pressed her lips lightly against Jihyo's, reminding her that it was only meant for her and kept replaying that she loved her so much. 

 

  
"However, I forgot that Eunha is waiting for me, maybe to reply her messages about the assignment we're supposed to finish in two days."

 

  
*

 

  
They laid on Jihyo's bed, lights turned off and the case of Eunha getting ignored for merely half an hour was already settled after promising a box of Ladurée macaroons she had always whined for.

 

  
"How did you even find out about your feelings for me?" The younger mumbled against her chest, drowsy from the cough syrup that Sana forced her to drink when she thought she could get away from it after the crying session. 

 

  
Sana played with the back of her head, combing her hair using her fingers and lightly massaging her scalp. 

 

  
"I failed to see what's right in front of me and focused on what I really wished I could have, never knowing that it causes a gunshot straight to the heart." Jihyo chuckled hearing the honest answer.

 

  
"You've became even more poetic." 

 

  
Sana laughed softly, the cute sleepy voice of Jihyo's sounded way way more adorable than before. "I somehow took that from google. But I changed a few words. Made your heart flutter a little bit, huh?"

 

  
She received a light smack at the back.

 

  
*

 

  
Momo stretched in front of the mirror, exposing her belly button then laughed afterwards to how silly she looked like just now. She went out from the toilet and sat on the black leather couch in the room. 

 

  
"You look troubled. Has the season of everyone looking depressed started already?" She joked to ease the worries of the woman in suit, pondering somewhere god knew. 

 

  
Yoonjung took a deep breath before speaking, "You're in a relationship with the model, right?" She got up from her seat, walking to her work table full of files and grabbed one in black; back to where she was sitting before. 

 

  
Momo chuckled, "Didn't I tell you already? You're releasing a statement about us being officially together?" 

 

  
Her eyes were full of hope. Yoonjung saw it, she felt like she was the worst person on earth. Passing the file to Momo, the latter asked her to properly read it's content. 

 

  
"Isn't this Symphony's agency? What is this about?"

 

  
The older kept quiet. There was a brown envelope attached to the file, Momo took the cue to look what was in it. 

 

  
_Fuck, what?_

 

  
"Dispatch caught us together?" Yoonjung shook her head. Now she finally had gathered all the courage in herself to look into Momo's brown orbs. The expression she had across her face said it all, Momo caught on with what was happening. 

 

  
Her face showed only one thing, she really demanded for an explanation. "Not to sound like I'm a k-drama fever person or something but, everything that happened yesterday wasn't planned right?" 

 

  
She barely got the time to react to the bombshell before the CEO cut her off with her fast yet clear and firm apologies along with her delineation.

 

  
Yoonjung was in a great despair. That's how Momo saw her now. She started off by telling the singer how crucial the company's stock and wellbeing will be once the dark horse in this issue delist their shares out. "We're all going to get kicked out. Everything will be gone." That's what she said, following with her statement of Dispatch formed alliance with YMC Entertainment, mainly to raise the publicity of themselves. 

 

  
Momo tried telling her that Yoonjung should have consulted her first, but not in this way that she had to just accept whatever that was going to happen to her love life and career. Besides herself, the company had another duos and a girl group to take care of. 

 

  
"I worked hard to reach here, Momo. Please understand my situation." She begged, hands gripping both of her knees hard.

 

  
"You should understand what you have gotten me into too!" Momo exclaimed-yelled, before realising she was raising her tone a little bit and about to lose her temper, "You're risking two of my most precious things here. Mina and performing my songs to the public."

 

  
That wasn't all. Momo didn't let the older to cut her off at all.

 

  
"Only if you can be a little bit considerate to what you were about to agree with, maybe it would not have lead us, us into this." 

 

  
She didn't even want to say those to Yoonjung. The thirty two year old really had been very good to her, but what could she even do? That was unexceptionable. 

 

  
"Jisoo obstinately defended his points with threats—"

 

  
"Now what? You're going to ask for my permission to release an official statement of Rachel and I's relationship?" The older looked down. Momo took it as a yes, no matter how hurt she was to the extent that she just wanted to go home and apologise to Mina. 

 

  
That was one of the weaknesses in herself. Momo wasn't the type who will reject anything that was risking one's importance in life. Why was she so selfless? She asked herself again and again.

 

  
It took her minutes to finally come up with an answer. Yoonjung felt like she really took a risk for the sake of the company. 

 

  
"Release it. But I won't do any interviews nor press conferences, even going out publicly with Rachel." 

 

  
With that, Momo rushed out the building and drove straight to home. To where Mina was at. To where she predicted things might take a hundred and eighty degrees turn starting from that day onwards. 

 

  
*

 

  
Momo didn't tell Mina what happened even after she stepped into the house, playing with Mina's hair as the girl was knitting her a red scarf since fall was coming in three weeks. Prepare your goddamn umbrella before it rains, Nayeon said. 

 

  
At teatime, she still haven't told Mina yet about it. How scared she was, to actually confess and explain about everything that was about to happen later. The model was sitting with her legs crossed as she took bite of her heated bagel with cream cheese; watching the drama where the scene showed a couple fighting because one cheated. Was that really directed to her?

 

  
She encircled her arms around Mina's waist when the younger was at the sink, washing the dishes after dinner. Momo didn't stop saying I love you's repeatedly. The other one chuckled every time.

 

  
"I know. I won't get tired of you." _Will she once the article is released?_

 

  
The clinginess didn't stop. It was as if Mina had Momo wrapped around her finger, the latter followed her everywhere she went. 

 

  
The singer actually prepared herself for the thunder that will start roaring. _Really_ , she avowed to herself that she was ready for everything.

 

  
It was ten minutes before the news on the national TV channel ended when Momo heard Mina's sobs in her bedroom. Unlike like how those protagonists in movies would do, Momo kept calm and took light steps towards where her girlfriend was. 

 

  
Mina had one hand over her eyes. She saw that it was wet because of her tears meanwhile her other hand gripped the phone hard. 

 

  
Momo had shortsightedness, she could still made whatever that showed on the screen out. 

 

  
**[TRENDING] Soloist Momo's agency confirmed rumour of the singer and main vocalist of Symphony of Angels, Yoo Rachel**

 

  
That was where it all began.

 

  
"Mina." She could just let that out. If only she had the ability of seeing herself from a third person view, Momo swore she could immediately sense that she was going to break down anytime soon. 

 

  
"Tell me this isn't true, please." 

 

  
She had never seen this side of Mina. The one who begged as if her life was on the line, the one who seek for the truth desperately. 

 

  
"Tell me this isn't true, please!" Her tone was firmer. Mina's hand gripped her shirt, forehead rested against her chest as she cried. The sentence repeated again and again. Like the broken vinyl player her grandpa used to own. Mina's voice cracked, she was clearly heart broken. 

  
  


_One mississippi, two mississippi, three mississippi._ Momo counted how long the time she had left for being together with Mina. As if she wrote the events down, like a novel. Next, the younger will walk out from the house. 

 

  
Momo knew that Mina was in a deep state of shock—she was shocked herself and was filled with guilt.  

 

  
Mina stood up, face swollen and eyes were completely puffy red. She walked over to her dress table and dumped her things into her handbag. Putting her coat on, the model looked at Momo through the mirror. "I'm going to Nayeon's, since Sana and Jihyo aren't in good terms yet. Don't chase for me." 

 

  
Just before she took final step out the main door, Mina was forcefully turned to face Momo. 

 

  
"Don't say anything. I want to get away from this for a while." She gritted, trying to pry Momo's hand off her.

 

  
"I can explain." The soloist sounded frail, she was aware that Momo was terror-stricken too.

 

  
But the contrary thoughts in herself blinded her as well as the egoism she had. Mina gave a wry smile before walking away.

 

  
"How could I stay when you lit a match to all my intentions?" 

 

  
Momo exactly knew what she meant by that.

 

  
She stood hopelessly by the doorway, still wondering what really just happened and still contemplating to accept the truth. She watched Mina's figure disappeared into the lift, the last glance of her heels faded away. 

 

  
*

 

  
Momo debated whether to call but just texted her instead.

 

  
 **[21:39 PM] Hirai Momo :** Mina, I'm really sorry. 

 

 

 **[21:40 PM] Hirai Momo :** _I can explain what's going on. Even though you'll think i'm lying or trying to cover myself up._

 

  
**[21:40 PM] Hirai Momo :** _I guess you really want some time to be alone. I'll text you again tomorrow or maybe in a few days._

 

  
 **[21:40 PM] Hirai Momo :** _Please take care of yourself._

 

  
**[21:43 PM] Hirai Momo :** _I love you, I really do. :)_

 

  
The messages weren't replied even after two days.

 

  
*

 

  
"Mina, you need to eat." The model was curled up on the bed, still in her sleeveless black top and girls shorts. She felt the bed sunk; there placed a warm hand that was probably bigger than hers on her upper arm. 

 

  
"God, you really need to let some of the holy sunshine into the room." Jeongyeon pulled the curtains open, "Oh! Could finally see you there, Mina." She tried to light the atmosphere up.

 

  
It's been a week since she last ate a proper meal, even after Nayeon and Jeongyeon tried coaxing her into everything, literally. The latter tend to just eat about two or three spoons of the food then went back to her room, locking herself up alone. 

 

  
Nayeon pulled her up, after groaning as she heard her bones cracking that made the woebegone and crestfallen girl smile slightly. 

 

  
"Girlie almost burn the omelette because she forgot that she was cooking and went to watch her Logan Lerman fighting over a one metre lightning stick where you can buy at those toys store. Better appreciate that dish, okay?" Jeongyeon kissed Mina's forehead, settled the girl's messy hair. 

 

  
They ate silently. With Nayeon munching on her rice crackers and the second oldest sitting on the floor, slurping on the fried noodles made by her girlfriend. Surprisingly, she didn't complain. 

 

  
Mina emptied the plate. It brought a wide smile on their faces seeing the girl finally filled her almost empty stomach throughout the days before. 

 

  
The next day came. The model was dragged out of her room to watch the survival show Nayeon had been catching up with. "Who are you rooting for?" 

 

  
Jeongyeon got a light slap on her shoulder and looked back to see Nayeon grinning, "We don't do that when it comes to Produce, okay?" 

 

  
After episodes of the series and the arrival of the youngest girls, _Heavy Rotation_ of AKB48's blasted off the doodled in shower typo speaker Chaeyoung brought from home. 

 

  
"Loose your tensions, Mina!" Dahyun shouted, dancing in the middle of the living room while Tzuyu and Nayeon pulled her towards the so called eagle of the group. Her hands were enlaced with Dahyun's, involuntarily following to swing her hands up and down. 

 

  
For the first time in the hectic week, the girls saw Mina's gummy smile plastered on her face.

 

  
*

 

  
"It's nice to see she's getting better." Said Momo, watching the video Jeongyeon sent to her personally.

 

  
"You know she's still pressed about it." Sana puckered her lips as if she didn't say anything just now when Jihyo nudged her, "I mean, yeah. You get it." 

 

  
Momo's thoughts drifted toward what was sent to her from Nayeon last night. Mina was going back to Japan in two days, to ease her mind a little bit and visit her family. She certainly didn't mind about it at all. 

 

  
"She has been rejecting to see me, you know?" 

 

  
"Obviously, Momo. Just send her off or anything, maybe go to see her tonight?" 

 

  
Yeah right, Jihyo's idea sounded nice too. 

 

  
*

 

  
Momo chuckled slowly when Jeongyeon greeted her in the baymax onesies. She stepped into the house, arranged her shoes next to Mina's heels neatly and saw Nayeon who had her body leaned against the wall next to the room where the model was sleeping at. 

 

  
 _She's sleeping_ , the oldest among the three mouthed, her index finger pointing the white wooden door. 

 

  
Damn, Momo had no idea she could actually get this nervous just because she was about to see Mina before she takes off to her hometown. She was sure that Jihyo's 'go to see her tonight' wasn't meant like this, but she was sure the latter wouldn't want to see her face if she's awake. 

 

  
Thus, this was what Momo could come up with. 

 

  
One point for her, Mina was laying on the bed, facing the door. She walked closer. Every step she took made her heart race faster. Momo took her last one and kneeled next to her bed; turning her head a little bit to let the couple know that it was fine for them to close the door. 

 

  
And the door shut softly. The light from the building across Nayeon and Jeongyeon's apartment was the only source for her to watch her girlfriend's face clearly in the dark. 

 

  
Mina didn't say anything about breaking up right? That was the little tiny hope she could grasp on and mentally chant in her head that they were still together. 

 

  
The model looked the same, just a little bit drained out due to the activities she had today. 

 

  
For a good fifteen minutes Momo spent staring at her face, never once she diverted her gaze to somewhere else. She got up from her position; fixing Mina's blanket and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. 

 

  
Momo didn't forget to put a reminder in Mina's phone, for _safekeeping_. Of course, she also didn't forget to clear the apps she had opened before locking the device back. 

 

  
"I thought you'd take an hour." Jeongyeon sipped her tea as Nayeon placed the crocodile shaped mug on the table, smiling. 

 

  
The Japanese sat down, thanking Nayeon for the drink prepared. "We don't live in the world of dramas, Jeong. That was enough for me." 

 

  
"She must be exhausted after the last photoshoot and after party for Gucci. Nana said hi by the way." The oldest chuckled, "She looks forward to see you again."

 

  
It was silent for a minute. Jeongyeon looked at her as if she had something to say, guess Nayeon could read her mind and decided to make the move.

 

  
"What are you planning to do after this?" 

 

  
It would be a lie to say that she was going to continue whatever she was doing now. The hate comments flooded and rumours flew everywhere. 

 

  
"With what I'm getting now, maybe preparing for an album to cool the public down? They'll forget about it anyway." 

 

  
"Geez, the negative comments are really harsh." From that, Nayeon went to how toxic the industry was actually after realising what happened to Momo and Rachel. Her words were twisted, and thrown into flames as the medias crowded them as they had created a controversy. 

 

  
Most of her fans stayed though some swerved and spurted their own opinion regarding the situation. Momo accepted everything maturely, without leashing any of her feelings toward the hurtful statements out. 

 

  
"Let's see what I get Mina back."

 

  
*

 

  
A month had passed and Mina woke up when she felt Ray jumped up onto her bed. She really had a conversation with Mr. Hirai to go back to Japan but not in this way, grieving for her broken relationship with Momo. 

 

  
Even after weeks, she couldn't forget about it. Momo continued to message her from time to time but as much as she wanted to reply to the texts, she just couldn't help herself but to reminisce back to the memories made together. There was still a space in her heart for the older, she just loved denying the truth so much. 

 

  
Being back in Meguro was calming indeed. Kai brought her out a lot, visiting Shibuya, the other cities and countryside. Her mother cooked her favourites, just like the old times before she furthered her studies in Korea. 

 

  
Things were kept as a secret, the status of their relationship wasn't informed to the family members. She lied and continued to lied, saying that Momo contacted her often and asked her how she was doing. Maybe she couldn't just accept the fact that it all had already happened.

 

  
Mina was awake when Momo placed a kiss on her forehead for the last time, she tried holding back her tears hard. Since then, everything around her will always get her reminded of Momo. The same song was played on repeat every day and night. A little feeling in her heart wished she was in Momo's head all the time, just like how the latter filled her thoughts up.

 

  
She was her moon and her very own moonlight.

 

  
Mina drifted away to survive, but she was sure everything was eating her up until now. 

 

  
She finally raised the white flag. She admitted that she missed Momo. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what is love is now playing, i'm bobbing my head to 20gayteen's soty


	9. Interlaced

The flashes were enough to blind her. A hubbub of reporters asking them questions and shouting, demanded for answers, she felt like she was going deaf. 

 

  
Once she held the mic up, the conference room went silent and only small hushed conversation of the managers could be heard. "We're ready. Let's start." 

 

  
A man in glasses raised his hand, "Is it true everything was just an act?"

 

  
Momo looked at Rachel, nodding to give her the cue to answer the question. 

 

  
"Yes. It's staged, no feelings were involved between us." 

 

  
Everyone went chaotic. Questions bombed like bullets and it was like as if there was no etiquette of being in a press conference at all. The medias were one of the worst things on earth. Everyone in this field need to face this disadvantage. 

 

  
*

 

  
Momo stared out the window with the still steaming hot coffee in front of her. Leaves started to change its' colours again, to yellow and dark orange. Those k-fashionistas style during autumn were seen again. 

 

  
Fall was starting and September was ending. The season was not the only thing to commence. 

 

  
"The comeback's preparations are all set. You're ready to go." She nodded at her CEO's words, letting the other know that she was aware of it. 

 

  
"Seems like everyone is looking forward for your performance. I should have looked further into your dancing skills, feels like I wasted a gem for two years." 

 

  
The Japanese admitted that she was scared since what happened a year ago. The kind of intense dislike she received from the public made her feel weak in the knees, she had to lock herself home for a few days for the situation to cool down a little bit. 

 

  
Some fans camped out the agency and her residency, making it even more difficult for the other girls including her managers to reach her out.

 

  
After months—nearly a year of breathing space, Yoonjung announced her reappearance and released the teaser of the new project. To everyone's surprise, it became the most anticipated comeback everywhere on the social medias and was the talk of the town. 

 

  
Three days before the official date, the singer was invited to one of the hottest talk show under KBS. 

 

  
"Woah, it's really unexpected to see that you are coming back with not only vocal but dance position too. How was it decided you're going for this concept?" Eyes were on her intently. Of course, why wouldn't they pay attention to her after the shocking news of the soloist who didn't have the looks of a dancer?

 

  
Momo chuckled to the very, very expected question. "It's been so long since I last danced actually. I stopped three years before I made a decision to pursue my dream in the music industry." 

 

  
Eh's and oh's could be heard coming from the audience and the host himself. "So you're saying you were some sort in a dance group or something?"

 

  
She nodded, smiling widely to the reactions of the clienteles'. Momo remembered the moment she practiced hard with the teammates for competitions participated and the competitors from other high schools. She talked about how much she suffered from leg and back aches, the times she had to spend the nights at the accident and emergency unit. 

 

  
"Park Yoonjung really failed to see a precious stone! Hey, are you watching this now? What did you do all these times?" Yoo Heeyeol joked, the spectators bursted out in laughters because of his topsy-turvy behaviour. 

 

  
She was asked to give a last speech before performing the song. 

 

  
"I won't take long, don't worry." She chuckled, "I was originally afraid at first to try this concept because I started off as a singer who plays instruments on the stage, maybe it might not suit me or something. That's what I had in mind. But it's okay for you to begin again, right? I wish this could be an opportunity for me to show my capabilities to every one of you and there's many more to be shown so I hope I am able to create more experience in this field."

 

  
Momo ended her speech by promoting her new album, she obviously didn't forget to ask people to check the latest extended play out. 

 

  
_It's okay to start again after you failed once, or twice. Hold tight._

 

  
*

 

  
From the darkness due to absence of light, the woman in the middle shone brightly with the stage lights illuminating in colours on her as it cross-faded to other tones. 

 

  
Music filled the studio, she beckoned the dancers to follow her movements. 

 

  
_"I love to party on the weekend,_ " And she began her performance, that was the new start of the rising star.

 

  
*

 

  
Dahyun was munching on her pepperoni pizza slice when Tzuyu suddenly shouted from her bedroom with Chaeyoung creating a fuss in the background. 

 

  
"Get the goddamn pail now, Dahyun! The water is coming out from the air cond!" 

 

  
"Geez, you guys won't let me watch Rachel and Astrid going gay for each other peacefully. Take something to prevent it from dripping all over the floor while I go and get it." She shout-replied, pausing the movie before running to the main door to get the bucket. 

 

  
She opened the door only to expect a light purple pail on her left when she was suddenly greeted by her not so annoying but still annoying friend with a box that was wrapped like a present. 

 

  
"Hello and good evening, Mr. Dahyun." Duh, only if she had some superpowers to stop people from referring her to an old man.

 

  
*

 

  
**South Korea celebrating Momo's latest comeback with full of love and support**

 

  
**Hirai Momo tops the charts again with 'Party (Shut Down)'**

 

  
**She did it again! H.A.L.F by Momo achieves another Perfect All-Kill**

 

  
"It's time we're about to see fan fictions of Momo on the internet." 

 

  
"Hirai with OC, slow burn cafe au with forty thousand words multi-chaptered. Tell me that ain't true." Nayeon laughed, slapping Jeongyeon's shoulder lightly.

 

  
The sliding door banged, revealing a salesman coming out from the dark room and Momo following him from behind. "How do I look? Cool enough?" 

 

  
In hurry, Sana snatched her phone out her handbag and immediately took pictures of Momo in that weird looking phoropter glasses. 

 

  
"That's so much like Ethan Hunt, but on another level." Momo sulked a little bit at that statement of Nayeon's. 

 

  
She was asked whether she could see better or adjustments were needed. 

 

  
"I can see the world in HD now, like the smart TV. This is fine." She smiled.

 

  
They left the store after making the payment (and also after Momo returning the phoropter she wore because she forgot that she had it on and leaving her signature on one of the salesperson's shirt, memories are sweet, the worker said). 

 

  
*

 

  
While Momo received commendations for her return in Korea, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu went to visit Mina during one of the off days of their field trip. 

 

  
"You grew a lot, Tzuyu. The last time I saw you, you were just around my shoulder." Mrs. Myoui laughed seeing Chaeyoung's pout, "She looks a lot more younger. Are you sure you're not ageing backwards, Chaeyoung?" 

 

  
The Korean kept getting teased, even though she didn't understand a few of the things said due to her kind of poor Japanese. Well, she was one of the Myoui household's favourites besides Momo and Tzuyu anyway. 

 

  
As if it wasn't a coincidence that Mina was thinking about someone, Momo's stage on M-Countdown suddenly was played after the advertisement on the channel. Just like how mothers would react to their daughters being on shows, Mrs. Myoui clapped and watched the performance in excitement. 

 

  
It wasn't like Mina didn't know how to speak Korean or anything, but whatever was on the TV seemed like a foreign language to her as all she could focus on was Momo's moving lips that sung her lines. A bona fide, unadulterated smile was plastered across her face.

 

  
Chaeyoung and Tzuyu watched the older in silence, full of adoration. _Wooo, love is in the air_ was what whispered in the Taiwanese' ear when Mina finally realised she literally gawked at someone she left a year ago. 

 

  
Tzuyu fished out a perfectly wrapped box in baby pink when her mother left them three alone in the living room and passed it to Mina. "A present from all of us. When are you coming back though?" 

 

  
"Soon, maybe after my contract with Acuvue ends. I haven't decided yet about it, never crossed my mind." 

 

  
"I hope that soon doesn't mean in a year or two. You might as well lose your chance seeing Jihyo in short hair with your own eyes." That was one of the ways of Tzuyu reassuring her that it was fine to stay in Meguro but her presence in Korea was really needed, as she saw the desperation in the younger's eyes.

 

  
Mina smiled when Chaeyoung's hand stroked hers gently. 

 

  
"Ah, I forgot! I have a new friend now, the name is Pingu." 

 

  
"Pingu like the animated penguin show?" Chaeyoung nodded, "Momo adopted a baby cat last month and named her Pingu."

 

  
Obviously Mina knew why the cat was named after the show. She loved watching Pingu so much during the high school days, even got tons of scolding once from Momo for staying up the whole night because she tried finishing one season. 

 

  
*

 

  
"Pingu Pingu!" Chaeyoung called the cat out with the infamous noot noot sound as she stepped into Momo's humble and warm abode. 

 

  
She heard a snicker from behind. "You didn't even greet me, Son." Momo stood and leaned against the bohemian hue wall. 

 

  
They sat at the dining table, sipping the coconut milkshake Chaeyoung bought from the stall on her way to Momo's. The younger continued telling her the stories of what happened in Japan during their stay there. Including the visit to the Myoui's neighbourhood.

 

  
"So yeah, that is all." Chaeyoung trailed off, clapping her hands slowly after that like she just got off the stage dramatically. 

 

  
The Japanese drank her shake, nodding her head. "How is everyone? I heard Mr. Myoui just came back from Europe." 

 

  
"He wasn't there when we came." 

 

  
Momo got up to the toaster and Chaeyoung helped her to spread out the butter and jam on the breads. "But hey," 

 

  
The Japanese looked at her. "What?"

 

  
"She asked me about you too." Momo grinned, she knew that Mina still cared after all. 

 

  
*

 

  
Mina still cared about Momo all the time. She _~~stalked~~_ checked up on her through the posts on Instagram, Twitter and other social media platform from fan accounts and her friends'. 

 

  
She remembered the time when Momo promised that she will always find her wherever she might be  no matter what it takes. 

 

  
"What if we were about to part ways again? Like I have work somewhere else and far far away from you?" She sleepily asked, Momo hugged her from behind as she played with her hand. 

 

  
"You're just sleepy now, stop asking things that won't happen, Mitang." The vibrations from Momo's mouth moving against the back of her head calmed her mind. Mina chuckled, "Answer me please."

 

  
And though Momo could not see her face, the older was sure her girlfriend was pouting slightly just by listening to her whine, "Fine, fine," She paused for seconds before adding, "First verse of _Count On Me_." 

 

  
Mina turned around, looking at Momo with the ' _really?_ ' expression while the singer just grinned. "You always make me do this." She chirped.

 

  
Notwithstanding her complain earlier, she ended up humming the song's melody as she thought of the lyrics; smiled afterwards as she realised what the musician meant. 

 

  
In the present, the model agreed to hang out with her friends from primary school before autumn turned to winter. Just a small gathering to look back at the days before the season changes where everyone was going to get so busy with preparations for Christmas. 

 

  
She came into her room after the reunion and plopped on the bed, exhausted. Just when she was about to drift away to sleep, the door knocked and her father stood still in his work attire. "Welcome home, daddy." 

 

  
Akira served as the head physician of the Orthopaedic Oncology at Osaka University. Mina was used to her father coming back home late, but he didn't take that as a reason for him to not spend his time with his family. Weekends are meant to be spent with your loved ones, Mina remembered the manga series Hagemaru she watched when she was young said that iconic line and was used often at the parks and any recreation places in Japan.

 

  
He greeted her back and sat down next to her, patting his daughter's head. "How's your day? Was the reunion fun?" 

 

  
Mina gave a tired smile to Akira, "It was fun, things are still the same." She went into how the spectacled classmate of hers for years was still the woman full of herself and the arrogance radiated from her annoyed Mina to the fullest. 

 

  
"Oh my, she really said that it wasn't her fault that the radio show got cancelled because of her when she was the one who showed up late. I can't stand her. Thank god that I only will meet her annually." Her father chuckled at the complains of the youngest in the family. It had been so long since he last heard her grumbles besides those text messages she sent with the frowning or red faced emojis to the family group chat.

 

  
The room fell silent before Kai broke it.

 

  
"Turtle! Catch!" That's what he brother usually call her, just because he runs faster than her. Mina insisted that tortoises move slower than turtles by milliseconds and hated to be called a sloth, which left her with turtle as her only nickname. Before the paper bag hit her face, Akira caught it and glared at his first child. 

 

  
"Geez dad, you're no fun." He munched on his baked sweet potato, Mina recognised the white plastic bag he held in his right hand. "That's from the Hiroshi's, right?" 

 

  
He nodded, "They started selling today, since the weather is colder than expected. Really follows their 'keeping people warm at all times!' slogan, huh." 

 

  
Mina called him out when he walked to his room, "Can you buy one for me this Monday?"

 

  
She received a ' _no_ ' and ' _go buy it yourself'_ from him before Kai came back and placed the crumpled up ¥5,000 from his pocket for her to buy her own. Oh, she really appreciated his thoughtful and kind heart. 

 

  
"Why can't I choose my siblings." She grunted making her father laugh because of the adorable act. 

 

  
*

 

  
_chaque jour est une bonne journee_

 

  
Every day is a good day, that was what the book had as the front cover. It was written in cursive, a professional one that Momo swore she could not ever do the exact same style of the writing. 

 

  
She used the journal during her school days, filling the entries up like a scrapbook with those colourful shiny highlighters and markers. What's so good about life? She wondered about that when she first bought this one sixty pages journal. She forgot she had this until she rummaged her things in those dusty, old boxes kept in her storeroom.

 

  
Geez, unpacking your things in your new home had always been hard. It's too much of a hassle. To think where you should place this and that.

 

  
Momo threw the thick book on her table where she would be using for studying, leaving her new bedroom and went out to meet Sana and Jihyo at the convenience store down the corner of the road near her house, more like third wheeling the goddamn couple. 

 

  
She moved to a new place, near Sana's after deliberating over it for long. The new penthouse was obviously bigger than her previous unit, she brought Mina's things along. Why would she leave it anyway? The extra bedroom on the second floor was neatly arranged, just the way like how her ex-housemate (coughs, her separated lover) would love to do her bedroom. Not only the house, but the view was breathtaking from the balcony too. The sight of Seoul could be seen from there, guess she was going to spend her days more there than in her own room. 

 

  
"Is your family celebrating Christmas here or it's finally time for a vacation?"

 

  
Momo shook her head to Sana's question. She stirred her coffee that sugar had yet to dissolve. "Not sure about that. Christmas is wherever my dad is at, that's for sure." She looked at Jihyo next, "You? Going back to Gyeonggi?" 

 

  
The Korean nodded, smiling as she told the two older Japanese about how her youngest sister dissed her. Oh burn, she really should not have interfered in her sister's relationship. 

 

  
"Is that puppy love?" Sana wasn't done yet with the puppy love thing she watched on dramas, Jihyo found it cute. The youngest among the three left a cute little peck on her cheek. 

 

  
Momo cut the lovey-dovey moment by clearing her throat, that diverted both of their attention to her. 

 

  
"I have something to discuss about, okay? Not to see your urgh so sweet acts here." 

 

  
"Someone's jealous." Sana mumbled.

 

  
"I'm not!" Momo retorted back.

 

  
Jihyo interrupted their small argument, "Okay, okay!" She looked at Momo and wiggled her eyebrows, "What do you want to discuss about?"

 

  
*

 

  
Mina received a phone call from her father to get ready and go out for dinner with him alone. 

 

  
"I bought this for you. My one and only princess is still M-sized, right?" Akira chuckled, handing Mina the Guess paper bag. She nodded, thanking him for remembering her.

 

  
The drive to the snack bar near Meguro station took them ten minutes, Mina loved the salmon salad there. It had always been the family's favourite late night diner place to hang out, usually whenever Akira came back home late or after the baseball game on TV ended. 

 

  
How pleasant the atmosphere was. Mina watched the adults who just got off work with a cup of coffee in their hand, she found it cool. Her father started telling her about his day, how he taught his students in the mini workshop even about small little things such as gratitudes though it had nothing to do with medicines studies. Mina was really fascinated by her father's interdisciplinary. 

 

  
Her father had always been her role model. Hardworking and busy at all times but, he will always find the way to be with his loved ones. 

 

  
It got quiet for a while after the desserts were sent in by the waitress. Akira was scooping his mango soufflé when he suddenly brought something up.

 

  
"Momo came to see me at my office earlier." 

 

  
"You're kidding." Mina laughed, shaking her head as she thought her father was just joking with her. Seeing the humourless but still smiling face of his, she realised that it was a no laughing matter. 

 

  
"You didn't tell us or if you're scared, why didn't you tell me about it, Mina?" He fished his napkin out from his coat's pocket and wiped his mouth before asking again, "Why? Is there something stopping you from doing so?"

 

  
The daughter hung her head low, nothing interesting about the strap of her bag she was fiddling with. Akira sighed, "She explained everything to me. You probably wait—no, you definitely saw the news too. Minus us because our family is outdated a little bit when it comes to this." 

 

  
Mina glumly smiled and finally gave him an explanation. 

 

  
"I was scared. I'm not sure about what I'm feeling, whether I just miss her without wanting to get back together or I really want her back."

 

  
Akira leaned back, "I am sure you don't want to separate for so long like this. It has been a year and I just found out about this." He continued telling her that he was once in her place too and what's worse, he spent his years studying in distress until life crossed their paths again. 

 

  
Mina kept quiet. She tried to hide the grimace she felt inside but unfortunately failed when her father saw tears brimming in her eyes. 

 

  
"Momo treats you good, takes care of you well and I can see that she loves you genuinely despite the depth of time you left her in Korea alone. I know that you still love her."

 

  
That was true, so true that she felt like she was a misunderstood douche for losing to her own ego and insisted that Momo was the one who carried all the blames and she was the victim of the lion. She glanced across the restaurant. A couple was laughing as they conversed with each other, she somehow remembered how much she missed doing that to Momo.

 

  
"I'm not supposed to tell you this," Akira laughed, "But she wants you back. Think about it properly, okay?"

 

  
That night, Mina laid on her bed, unable to sleep. She listened to the ticks of the clock and it was ten minutes to two. Thoughts of Momo consumed. In the end, Mina cried. Why was she so emotional? She thought. She learnt about love, or generally life from Momo. The heart she let be with a space for the memories of Momo's had opened again. She wanted to avoid the thoughts of the latter but she was unable to do so. The thoughts reverberated even more and often in her head. 

 

  
Through her sniffles, she smiled. 

 

  
The next morning, Mina went out alone. She received a text from Sana, saying that Momo informed the girls that she was going for a day trip to Japan then proceeded to go to France for a vacay,  to get some things off her head. She really had lost her chance to see Momo again, besides last May when the latter came back to the country for a photoshoot with Vivi magazine.

 

  
Before she walked back home, Mina didn't forget to stop by the Hiroshi's Sweet Potato. Their stall was right in front of Shibuya 109, she just had to cross the road to get there. The model sat down on one of the benches accommodated near the place. 

 

  
She observed those who were crossing from the subway to get to work, the birds flying in groups as some hung out on the street lamps. Mina exhaled, blowing the water-vapour out here mouth. It was a lie to say that she wasn't cold at all, what a careless move of hers to get out of the house without a scarf. 

 

  
"You knit scarves all the time yet you forgot to wear one, in this cold weather." A voice said from behind, putting a scarf over her head then wrapped it around the model's neck. Mina watched the process, she recognised the hands very well. Even the watch the woman was wearing on her left wrist. 

 

  
She got up hastily, turning her head to where the sound came from. Mina stared in confusion, her face was blank. _One mississippi, two mississippi_ , seconds passed yet Mina was still there, standing still as she tried to believe that it actually was the person she had saved the pictures and videos in her phone, that she had been watching for so long before she hit the bed and drift off to her sleepless sleeps. She looked like she was struggling to comprehend the situation. 

 

  
"M-Mo—" She stopped in the middle of her track. The older woman smiled softly seeing her reaction and engulfed Mina into a tight, full of love hug. She was glad that the other one reciprocated the sincere longing she had felt for the last one year (and three months and three days if you're about to ask Momo the exact period of their parting of ways). 

 

  
She obviously had so many ways to connect and see what Mina was doing throughout all these times such as via updates from the internet or something but that obviously could not quench her thirst. The feeling of missing the latter would not just go dissipated just like that. She had always walked on her path with the memories of the beautiful moments she created with Mina, it kept her alive and excited her always except for the fact they were so far from each other. 

 

  
"I took a chance, guess it is worth it?" She whispered, she knew the figure she was hugging was weeping as her body was getting crushed and she heard sobs coming from Mina. "Don't cry. I really should've come her sooner." She added.

 

  
"I'm so sorry," Mina apologised, "I'm really sorry." She didn't stop saying sorry's again and again, as if it was a chant for her fairy godmother to turn back the time. Momo assured her that it was okay, and that she was sorry too for not chasing after her that night and the days after. 

 

  
"I love you even more during times like this. You wear clothes that are too big for you often, makes me go all soft."

 

  
As if they were just a wound that was healed over, they sealed their lips like they were never going to open it again, to hurt it and stitching it gently with full of love and warmth. Momo could feel their salty warm tears in between the kiss, she smiled but did not break the contact at all. There were obviously people who were talking and taking pictures of them, they were the number one prides of Japan after all. One was a model and another was a singer who was making her own way to the throne. 

 

  
*

 

  
It's news to the public to see the interaction between the two _best friends_ and thankfully, they were not giving out the same reaction like how they did during the announcement of Momo and Rachel's. It was the opposite instead. 

 

  
There went their phones blaring in the table. They had to put the gadget to silent mode while notifications came in fast, mostly from the agencies for the sudden pictures and complains from friends that they weren't informed about the plan had already started. 

 

  
*

 

  
They sat on the bed, with Mina's newly bought L'oreal pure clay mask slathered on their faces as they laughed to how their appearance look like with the holy grail of beauty Mina swore by on. 

 

  
"You look like Shrek." 

 

  
"Then you're Fiona." Mina laughed at the not-close-at-all resemblance. The older watched her laughing in silence, grinning as she enjoyed the sight. She missed that gummy smile so bad. 

 

  
Momo leaned in for another kiss and made a face after she pulled away, "I think I somehow licked your mask. Tastes like mud and my hugo boss perfume."

 

  
*

 

  
Momo had to go back to Korea after a week, which made Mina sad because of the short trip and time they had spent together. However, the Myoui's insisted forced their one and only princess to follow the singer back to Korea, with the reason they were already bored seeing her slouching in her pink room like a real princess. That was the answer to why the model had her head leaned on her shoulder as they watched _Guardians of The Galaxy_ on the plane. 

 

  
As soon as they walked out of the departure hall after taking their luggages, the first thing the saw was posters being held high by the fans but there was one that caught their eyes. How embarrassing. 

 

  
_Welcome home idiots! We stan a couple who left the country without a warning UwU_

 

  
Oh god, they both thought. The girls were there, with Nayeon and Jeongyeon having the cut out of their faces mask on, Jihyo clinging onto Sana's arm and Dahyun, Tzuyu and Chaeyoung holding the banner up. 

 

  
*

 

  
Sana and Momo were dressed up in dresses, with a graduation hat on while they received flowers and the certificates from the lecturers. What shocked them even more was Sana, the student who had got counted the most days in her class for coming in late, received the best student award along with four more students from different majors. 

 

  
"I guess all the crying helped me to get this." The Japanese looked up to the sky as she closed her eyes, hands clasped together. 

 

  
Mrs. Kim patted her shoulder, "That doesn't mean you should keep continuing to clock in late at work when you finally find one, Miss Minatozaki." 

 

  
"Mrs. Kim!" Sana whined, the others just laughed watching her stomping her feet. 

 

  
Jihyo came running to her girlfriend, hugging her from the side as she placed a kiss on the cheek. "I'm proud of you." She smiled. 

 

  
Jeongyeon leaned in to Nayeon's ears, "Sana could tie her own shoe and Jihyo would come to her like a bear and say that she's proud of her." 

 

  
"I aspire to have a girlfriend like that." Chaeyoung was nudged when she said that and looked up, to find Tzuyu smiling softly to her. _Chaeyoung is dead_ , she heard Momo murmured with Mina. 

 

  
*

 

  
The singer woke up in the middle of the night, with the urge of rushing to the kitchen to have a glass of water to ease her dry throat. She slowly removed the arm that prevented her from moving, cursing mentally to herself for not being smart enough to bring her water bottle in before she went to bed earlier.

 

  
When she came back from smoothing her thirst that felt like she was somewhere around Doha in Qatar due to the lack of water, Momo sat on the bed and played with her phone as she wasn't feeling sleepy with Pingu kneading the fluffy comforter she tossed away in rush at the edge of the bed. 

 

  
Mina was curled up on the bed, hugging herself and Momo thought it was because the lack of warmth since ever she left the bed earlier. She put her phone away and laid down on the bed, pulling the covers properly over them so it covered the girl in front of her. A smile was brought on her face as she put away Mina's hair that fell down and covered the latter's features as how she would always do whenever Mina was asleep. 

 

  
Momo had always loved Mina's crinkles under her eyes every time the girl smiles, the sound she will make whenever she laughs or confused. It didn't shock her at all that she could finish Mina's sentences, as if she knew what the girl was going to say like she was telepathic. 

 

  
Later that afternoon, Mina stood next to the stairwell while watching her girlfriend thanking the crew and audiences in the studio after she finished pre-recording her staging act. 

 

  
"You were great earlier." She wiped Momo's sweats on her forehead as the latter panted, tired after the intense choreography. 

 

  
"I always am. I'm your best girlfriend after all." Momo grinned. 

 

  
The live show ended earlier than expected, Momo had won the first place again against the band, _Avenue_ and _Moonlight_ , the girl group that debuted around the same time as hers.

 

  
They headed back home afterwards around eight in the evening. It was Jeongyeon's pay day, the girls planned to celebrate Momo's win on Music Bank which the couple agreed and tidied up the house a little though they exactly knew that it was going to turn into a hurricane once the drinks were brought in. 

 

  
*

 

  
Sana and Jihyo on the other hand went on a date to the water park in Yeongin since it was the nearest around the Korean's parents house in Gyeonggi and the younger wanted to take the metro to go back to Momo's. Caribbean Bay had always been full every day since the first day of it's operation, another reason why Sana didn't want to drive her car there. Taxi was a good choice, right?

 

  
"Babe, which one should we take?" Sana pointed at the beer bottles in front of her. Jihyo turned around, putting the canned beers in the trolley before looking at what Sana was pointing at. 

 

  
"Take _Hite_ more than _Cass_. They need to learn that drinking a lot won't spice the fun that much." The older looked at Jihyo. 

 

  
"You sure? The last time I remember you were the one who chugged those first, babe." She giggled when the Korean slapped her arm lightly. Sana muttered a sorry before walking back to the snack section. 

 

  
They decided to take a taxi to go to Momo's house since it wasn't that far from the convenience store but the ride was slowed down by the traffic since it was Friday anyway, people go out to get wasted after a hectic week. 

 

  
" _2PM_ and _Girls' Generation_ 's song for the Caribbean Bay stays winning all the time! I used to ship Taecyeon and Yoona and gawk over Yuri. What did my thirteen years old self know about love at that time?" Jihyo said, smiling as she told Sana about what she used to do at home during her teenage adolescence days. 

 

  
"High chances, I might probably was dancing to Justin Bieber's _Love Me_ and _Somebody to Love._ But hey, I love _Girls' Generation._ " She laughed while she showed the motion of _Oh!'_ s main point in the choreography "But I have no idea that they collaborated once."

 

  
Jihyo typed in the title on youtube and the video loaded before an advertisement came up, making the younger grunted in silence as they didn't want to make much noise and disturb the driver. She leaned against the seat with Sana's arm behind her head as a headrest and held the phone in landscape to watch the music video. 

 

  
Although the music was catchy, Sana's attention seemed to be only on her girlfriend, who resembled so much like a teen girl who was bragging about new Big Bang merchandises she brought from the official site and it appeared really adorable to her whenever Jihyo started being all talkative as she talked about her favourites.

 

  
Jihyo's left hand was making the peace gesture as she followed the dance to the Cabi Song when she noticed Sana wasn't saying a word. She looked to her right to check on the latter. Her girlfriend was literally frozen up with eyes on her—or her lips to be exact and didn't respond even after a few calls. 

 

  
The Korean leaned in slowly, pressing her lips against the Japanese to wake her up from her daydream. "Huh?" Sana was brought back to reality, confused. Jihyo only smiled at her adoringly, seeing the expression on her face. "Sorry, I got distracted for a moment. I must be so tired after those thrilling rides at the water park, right?" 

 

  
Jihyo just glared at her, "You can be either cute or an idiot and nothing in between. You know I can see through your white lie." 

 

  
*

 

  
" _Momo! Momo! Momo!_ " The girls chanted the same way the fans on music shows would when the synth started playing. Chaeyoung took the role as the lead dancer, taking over the red haired woman who was the real one on stage. 

 

  
The mini stage ended with Chaeyoung putting a hand over her eyes, purposely cupping it forcefully to tease the older. She had to run around the unit to save her life from Momo. 

 

  
Mina watched the childish acts of her friends, half of her wondered why she was there and another half was thankful that she met all of these losers. Really, no words could describe how much they had helped her and were there for her whenever she needed them. Momo sat down next to her, tired after chasing the cub lookalike and offered her the orange juice in the can. "Loosen up a bit, you're on your third glass already, Mina." 

 

  
They watched the two oldest performing _Ear Candy_ , Momo had to cover Mina's eyes from seeing the make out session between the two at the end of the show. The so called oldie was kicked in the butt by Sana for doing it in front of the kids, as in Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu. The three will always be their babies even though they think they were all grown up. 

 

  
Chaeyoung pushed Dahyun aside when the familiar beat similar to middle eastern music was played. "Scoot away! It's my _hoe_ anthem!" She yelled, as she cat walked towards Mina and Momo, who unfortunately were hugging on the couch. Jihyo hummed through the mic. 

 

  
" _I'm telling you to loosen up my buttons, babe,_ " 

 

  
Mina looked at Momo, "What song is this again?" 

 

  
" _But you keep fronting, uh,_ " The mixture of Jihyo's voice plus Nayeon and Chaeyoung's yelling filled the song, the other girls just bobbed their heads since they didn't remember the lyrics and had a hard time reading English on the screen.

 

  
The older leaned in her ear, since it was loud and would be hard for Mina to hear if she answer her from that distance, " _Pussycat Dolls' Buttons!_ Have you heard this song before?" 

 

  
Mina shook her head, making Momo laugh. The girl wasn't the type who listen to this type of songs. Momo acknowledged that Mina was the type who would listen to _The Black Eyed Peas_ and _Queens._

 

  
The night seemed bright, with neon lights shining from building, the bridge and cars accompanied by the honks that blared with the sound of vehicles speeding by on the road. 

 

  
"You know, I spent my time here more than I have spent in my bedroom. I fell asleep here twice." Momo started the conversation, staring up to the sky. 

 

  
"Why? It's kind of cold here." Mina asked.

 

  
"Want me to get a blanket?" The older sat straight on the chair, ready to get up and go in. 

 

  
The model shook her head, holding her down. Mina supported her head using her palm on the table. A few minutes of staying silent, she pointed to the airplane passing by in the sky. 

 

  
"What did you do? You know what I mean." Mina knew what Momo was trying to say. She didn't know where to begin, even what she was supposed to say. She just can't seem to describe how did she cope with the year.

 

  
Mina's answer started with an uncertain hum, "I—I locked myself in my room. It really seemed like I broke up with you until I realised we never really said the word. I watched the sun rises and sets every day, thinking that you would be watching the same sight as I was. Whenever I eat, I will imagine your remarks about how delicious the meal is. Things like that, you know." 

 

  
Momo found herself chuckling to that. She looked at Mina and smiled, "Not to kid around or anything but can I say that we might be soulmates? Because that's exactly what I did too." 

 

  
"Really?" 

 

  
The singer nodded, pressing a kiss on top of Mina's head. It was silent for a few minutes, they didn't mind it as it was comfortable. The warmth of each other was the only thing that mattered at the time. 

 

  
"You look cute in my hoodie though." Momo mumbled, her voice became muffled because of Mina's hair that was leaning against her mouth. 

 

  
"It's big for me." Mina laughed, showing Momo the sleeves that went over her hand. 

 

  
"I like that even better." The older hugged her from the back, holding Mina's hand and the only thing that was separating their skin was that piece of fabric. 

 

  
The random talks like this made them grew closer to each other. Throughout the years being friends to lovers, they were sure that this was the key to a good relationship. Communication and your loyalty towards one another. 

 

  
Mina didn't focus too much on her feelings for Momo neither taking it lightly too. She walked the way she thought would work for her, which was to talk to Momo, thinking that it might show her the real answer to her own feelings that complicated with other things. Mina didn't look at Momo once she had confirmed what she felt towards her, she stayed looking at the older as a best friend, someone she can go and depend on however she was. 

 

  
Momo wasn't chasing for Mina like how other people would. She wasn't afraid if things didn't go her way and if Mina falls for someone else. _Let love be love, let it come for us._ That was the only thing she had in mind since then until now. Momo didn't care that much if someone else falls for Mina too, it's their feelings anyway. Who was she to control? It didn't matter to her if she sees Mina as a woman, or not. The answer would stay the same. She would always be there for Mina like a guardian angel the latter talked about often. 

 

  
_In this very familiar place, we have to try our hardest to fill our lives with new moments of happiness._

 

  
The couple were alone and away from the party inside. 

 

  
At the end of the day, it will only be both of them together, holding onto each other as if they were made perfectly together to guide, to learn and to love. 

 

  
At the end of the day, they would be doing whatever they wanted to do. The answer would always stay the same. It was to spend time with each other, to feel and live in the comfortable presence of each other. 

 

  
At the end of the day, when the sun sets, they will make it through things together, even in the dark times. Everything would be okay as long as they tried, as long as they stayed together hand in hand. 

 

  
At the end of the day, it's each other that they will be longing for. 

 

 

 

  
**—**

 

 

 

  
_Oh my god, it's finally the end of the ride! **Thank you, thank you, and again thank you to all readers, those who supported, voted and even left comments about your opinions and whatsoever.** Everything is very much appreciated! Love y'all  <3_

 

  
_P/s : I'm glad that Mimo is finally breathing even though we only get crumbs from them and Sahyo feeding us a whole goddamn course meal. Comment down below your thoughts on this story :)_

 

  
_Any suggestion for my next story?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaand it's the end! thank you <3

**Author's Note:**

> equilibrium-tranquil on aff!


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